Problems
by kairi1995
Summary: Ayce is wounded on a hunting trip, but finds her way back to her sisters. Going against her orders, the younger two take her to the carvan. Ayce heals up. and soon they are part of the group. Daryl/OC; Mild Andrea/OC The first few chapters suck, I'll admit that, but I do plan on revising them later after the story is done. If you can get past them, it's an awesome read :D
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello readers!**

**Well, this is my first attempt at writing, like, anything, so please don't be mad. I read a WD story just the other day, and I do like what the author wrote. She asked readers to be nice to her because a ton of feathers hurts less than a ton of bricks. So, how about we apply that here? Please be nice?**

**Now, I know I'm not the best writer, but I did try to make this decent. If anything is confusing, please ask, and I'll try to make things clear. And it wouldn't hurt to hit that little button at the bottom. ^-^**

**Inspirational Song: Running With the Light by A Skylit Drive**

Chapter 1

Harsh light filtered through the canopy above, lessening the intensity, but not by much. It cast a golden glow upon the figure that lay at the base of the steep hill. The animals in the surrounding area had long since gotten used to the huntress being there and paid her no mind. However, other predators were coming close, and they themselves didn't care for her blood, but larger, more dangerous beings would.

The woman stirred, the light penetrating her lids. They fluttered open slowly, revealing bright, impossibly blue eyes. She was naturally platinum blonde, but could have passed for an almost redhead with the amount of blood in her hair. She sat up slowly, wincing at the pain in her side. The woman poked gently, finding a rather large shard of wood sticking out from her flesh. Another inspection found a bump and a gash on her head.

She groaned and searched the ground for her belongings. During her fall, she had lost her grip on the compound bow and hit her head badly. It would seem that her body decided to acquire some pieces of the forest while tumbling down the steep incline. Sighting the black bow, she gently slid her leather quiver off her back. Most of the arrows were broken from the fall, but one or two remained intact. She tossed the broken pieces on the ground and put the other two arrows back, glancing around all the while.

Somehow, while aiming at the deer earlier, she managed to loss her footing and slide down. Now, she had to get back up with her injuries and find her sisters. Judging by the sun, she hadn't been out long, and even though she left the wood in, she was losing blood. And to top it all off, there were zombies nearby.

The last thought sent chills up her spine. She refused to be caught by them. She had people to take care of, to protect. The blonde grit her teeth and began the tedious task of climbing up the hill.

"Analyn, I swear, if you don't stop pacing, I WILL toss you to the zombies… I don't care what Ayce says."

The other blonde, Analyn, stopped and turned, a look of hate crossing her features for a brief second. She walked away from the edge of the camp and sat on the opposite side of the fire pit, keeping Lilith in her sights.

"You could at least act like you're worried. She's your sister too, not just mine."

The brunet shook her head, finding it almost comical. "No, she's not. She's the daughter of the woman my father married. You both are. I stay with her because she's useful, and you both know that. But I don't need you. I haven't gotten rid of you yet BECAUSE of her, which is another thing you both know. I still don't see why you haven't dumped me off somewhere. Oh wait, yes I do. You two are too nice and you promised you mother you'd keep me safe. The last sentence was sneered at the blonde, a look of utter disgust setting in place.

Analyn shook her head and mumbled under her breath, things about whores and slut, and ungrateful teens.

Analyn herself was 19 when the apocalypse happened, and was sure her birthday was in a few months, but 19 all the same. Lilith was the baby of the group, but before this, her title was town slut, and she had only turned 17 a few weeks before. Ayce was the oldest and by far the strongest of the trio. She was 24, and an exceptional huntress, which had made it easy to survive so far. This, however, was the first time she had been late coming back.

As these thoughts crossed Analyn's thoughts, footsteps were heard in the thick forest. Lilith jerked to awareness, and Annalyn scrambled for the gun. They were told never to use it unless they had to because the noise attracted the undead. She passed it to Lilith and grabbed her knives, which were on the ground by the fire. The blonde turned to face the threat, only to find the missing sister.

She dropped her knives and ran forwards, not fast enough to catch her before she hit the ground. "Oh, God, Ayce what happened?!" She reached her side, only to find lots of blood all in her hair and all over her clothes. "Ohnoohno…..What do we do?"

Lilith entered her line of vision and spoke whilst inspecting her nails. "I have an idea. Why don't we go find the caravan?" Analyn glared at the idiotic brunet. "Moron. Ayce said to avoid them at all costs. We don't know them, and it could be dangerous."

Lilith sighed and walked back to her perch. "Fine, let her die. But we both know we don't have the supplies or knowledge to help her. This isn't her average scratch. It's worse."

Analyn looked away from the younger girl, knowing deep down that she was right. Ayce was the one with the survival knowledge, not them. "Why do you care?" As Analyn waited for the answer, she tucked a stray curl of Ayce's behind her ear and busied herself with putting pressure on the wound. The snarky reply should have been what she expected, but it still surprised her that she was so cold.

"Easy… She's essential to my survival."

Analyn trudged through the woods, careful not to trip over fallen logs or roots. Over her shoulder was Ayce's arm, while Lilith had the other. Surprisingly, the brunet had agreed to help drag their sister though the trees in the direction of the other people. They thanked their lucky stars that they didn't run across any zombies.

Analyn was the first to speak in a while. "Hold up, let me check the bandage." They both placed the blonde on the ground so Analyn could remove the makeshift bandage. "She's still losing blood. I hope we're close…."

They were quiet for a moment, allowing the sounds of the forest to reach them. But what they didn't expect were the voices. It sounded like people, two of them. Analyn motioned for Lilith to grab Ayce, and together, they followed the sounds. They were greeted with quite a sight.

A man and a woman, both dark haired, and slightly tanned. The man was taller than the woman, and if Analyn had to guess, they were _extremely_ close.

Analyn cleared her throat, causing the couple to jump apart and stare. "Sorry to break up the face sucking, but we need help. Do you have a doctor of sorts with you?"

The couple gave them weird looks, trying to determine if they were trustworthy or not. They stayed like that for a while before anyone made a move. The dark haired couple shared a look, and the man moved forward. "Um...Yea, we do. If you two don't mind, I'll take her. My friend here can lead you to the campsite." Analyn nodded, letting the man take Ayce. He picked her up bridal and carried her. Analyn called after him, telling him to mind her wounds.

They faced the woman, who looked nice enough, but seemed kind of put out, most likely cause they were planning on doing the deed and they were interrupted. She walked forward and extended her hand. "Hi, I'm Lori. That was Shane who took your friend. The site's this way, if you wanna follow."

Analyn shook her hand and nodded. "I'm Analyn, this is my sister Lilith, and that was my other sister, Ayce." Lilith rolled her eyes at the mention of them being related. "We aren't sisters." And with that, she followed the path that Shane took.

Analyn frowned after her before walking with Lori along the same path. "Sorry about her…" Lori shook her head and smiled. "It's alright. Everyone's got their own shit to deal with, right?"

Analyn nodded and smiled back, the fear for her sister still ever present.

Analyn now sat with Lori and the rest of the group, still trying to learn their names. Not that it mattered at the moment. They were busy making decisions. Analyn wanted to go and get their things from the woods, the reason being that Ayce was still out. They had managed to patch her up, but the head injury was worse than Analyn thought. So now the group was voting on if they thought it was a good idea.

Lilith and herself waited by the RV, Lilith watching the group, and Analyn watched Ayce. Her breathing was getting better, and she wasn't as pale, but she had yet to wake up. Analyn hoped to the deities that she pulled through. Ayce was a fighter, and was their protector. She had to make it.

Lilith nudged her, both of them meeting the gaze of Shane. He stopped in front of them, his face blank and indifferent. "Well, they don't trust you, but they can't let you go out there on your own, especially with your sister the way she is. So we'll let you stay here. As soon as our group comes back from the city, and our hunter gets back, we'll send a small team with you to get your things."

Analyn nodded, voicing her thank you, while Lilith was friendlier with hers. She threw her arms around Shane's neck and hugged him, being ever so available. Analyn almost laughed at the look on his face, but it was over powered by the feeling of disgust at the brunet. She shook her head and walked over to Ayce, who was in a spare tent, and mumbled a 'good luck with that' to Shane.

She wasn't there long before a noise was heard. People groaned and shook their heads, but before she could ask what the deal was, she saw it. It was bright, cherry red, and very loud. It was a mad scramble to get the alarm on the car turned off and the silence was appreciated. The driver, an Asian, looked rather happy with himself. He was soon followed by a moving truck with other survivors, a blonde, two African Americans, an older looking lady with a buzz cut, some foreign guy, and a cop.

Analyn stayed in her tent with Ayce and watched the scene. The shock that came next was just that. The cop was Lori's long lost hubby, and the kid was theirs. Which meant she had been cheating on him with Shane? Analyn's opinion of them wasn't all that great anymore.

Ayce shifted in her sleep and mumbled something. Analyn leaned close to the blonde, but she was quiet. Analyn sighed and began to walk out of the tent, but was stopped. Ayce had grabbed her.

Analyn sat back down and leaned close, brushing at the girl's hair with her fingers. "Oh, Ayce, how are you feeling?"

Ayce kept her eyes close, but smiled at her sister. "Like I fell down a hill, lost blood, climbed back up said hill, and passed out at camp. I would love to know how you patched me up; we're low on the medical stuff." All while talking, Ayce sounded weak and hoarse. Analyn laughed nervously and grimaced. "Well, you see… What had happened was…"

Ayce forced her eyes open and sat up quickly, regretting it immediately as the pain shot up her side. "Analyn…" She growled at the other blonde through gritted teeth. "Where the hell are we?" Before the nervous sister could utter a word, she was interrupted.

"Well, at the moment, you're in a tent, and this is our campsite." Analyn wasn't sure when the old guy came up, but she was glad for it. Dale had a way with words. He could ask you to slaughter a whole village and you wouldn't question it, he was just that convincing. Ayce narrowed her eyes at the newcomer, but kept silent, which gave Dale the impression to keep talking.

"Your sisters brought you here bloodied and passed out. You would have died if they hadn't made the right call. I did what I could for you, and let you heal. You should thank them. And until you can care for your family again, you are to rest, and stay with us."

Ayce stayed still for a moment before nodding. "But what about our things?" Analyn covered the pale girl's hand with her own, smiling comfortingly. "We're going to get them with a team after their hunter gets back." Ayce nodded and ran a hand through her hair, grimacing at the dried blood. "Is there a place where you guys wash up?" Dale nodded in response and turned. "I'll see if Amy will lend some toiletries and show you the way."

"Oh. My. God." Analyn stared at the lake before them. It was huge and crystal blue and the most welcoming sight ever. Before she could speculate on it more, she felt fingers tap the underside of her chin. She glanced over at Ayce, who withdrew her hand. "Close your mouth, you'll swallow a fly." The comment was paired with a very amused look. Analyn laughed and closed her mouth. She led the way to a secluded area, her sister following.

Ayce nearly died with happiness. The water turned from blue to brown as the blood was washed away. Her hair turned back to its normal color, which pleased her very much. The dirt and grime was removed from her skin, revealing her naturally pale skin. She wished they could have stayed longer, but she didn't want to stay this vulnerable with all those men around. Analyn and she dressed quickly, not wanting to get caught while indecent.

As they approached the camp, they could hear voices being raised. Upon closer inspection, it was a newcomer, and he didn't seem happy. He was going on about his brother being left on a roof and such. Ayce would have ignored him to go take a nap, but he said something that angered her.

"And who the hell is this whore?"Ayce turned to find the redneck pointing an accusing finger at Lilith, who had made herself known to Ayce for the first time since she woke. Now, Ayce wasn't really fond of the teen, but hell, that was her family.

Ayce saw red. She dropped the towel and shampoo she had been carrying and marched into the middle of the group. The man put his hand down, only to have the very pissed blonde in his face. She bared her teeth and fixed her gaze on hi. "That _whore_ is my sister. You would do well to mind your tongue when talking about her or any of us." She didn't shout. Ayce didn't have to. "So why don't you take your crossbow toting self to your tent."

Mr. Redneck didn't seem to like that. He spat back at her, his gaze just as nasty. "I don't take orders from blonde bitches. So why don't you march yourself outta this camp. You don't belong here."

Neither spoke after that. Dale put a hand on the man's chest, pushing him back gently. Ayce felt hand grab her shoulders, not harshly, but strong enough to pull her back some. The one pulling her spoke, and she recognized it as Shane. "Come on now. We can't fight among ourselves. Not when those things are after us. Daryl, this is Ayce. She's here with her sisters, Analyn and Lilith. Ayce was hurt a bit ago, so they came and found us."

Shane pulled Ayce further and turned her to face him. "Daryl is our hunter, Ayce. He's been with us for a while. Now, if you two are going to be a problem, one is going to have to go. It won't be him, got it?"

Ayce glared for a second before nodding. She kept her gaze to the ground until Shane left. She felt Analyn rub her shoulder gently. Ayce glanced up, meeting the gaze of the redneck, who was now known as Daryl. He glared, clenching his fists, as if trying hard not to be trigger happy. Ayce glared back before taking the golden blonde beside her by the wrist and walking off.

'God damn rednecks….'


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: And I'm back!**

**First off, I really want to thank my first reviewers. You know who you are **

**So anyway, it came to my attention that Daryl called Lilith a whore, and I didn't explain. Well, I hope I clarified in this chapter somewhat, but honestly, I'm never going to write for Lilith. I don't plan on keeping her around for much longer…**

**Also, I know I'm posting kind of often, but that's just because I have two classes at school where I don't really have to do anything, so I just type. So really, I have no schedule, and I'm writing as I go.**

**One last thing, I only just started watching The Walking Dead on Sunday, and I'm already in caught up and waiting for the mid-season 3 premier. My point is I'm sorry if some events are out of order, but I do know the general way it's supposed to go.**

**I don't own Walking Dead!**

**Inspirational Song: Crazy Angel by Kill Hannah**

Chapter 2

Ayce lightly tapped her chin with her index finger, her eyes glazing over and focusing again. Her gaze met Lilith's, her question known, but unspoken. She leaned forwards, resting her elbows on her knees, blue eyes never leaving her sister's brown ones.

"So. What did you do this time that made him call you a whore?"

Ayce was generally a patient person, but her sister's crap was getting old.

Lilith chuckled and looked out the little window their tent had, fixing her eyes on the man in question.

"I only kissed him. If it weren't for the cop, I'd have done more."

The color red seemed to be a close friend of Ayce's, for she kept seeing it so often. She wasn't sure why the brunet's comment made her blood boil. Maybe it was because she was tired of it all. The situation, her tendency to be a princess, or maybe her outright slutness. Ayce shook her head and scowled. "Why must you act like that? You're better than that."

Lilith sighed and stood, straightening her skirt as she did so. Without answering, she stalked from the tent, leaving Ayce alone with a very quiet Analyn.

Ayce sighed again, wincing as she moved. Analyn scooted over to where she sat, giving her a motherly look. "Lift your shirt so I can check it." Ayce complied without a fuss, training her eyes on the top part of the tent while Analyn poked and prodded at the gash. "Well, it's not infected, but it will leave a scar. You need to be resting. Anymore of this walking around and picking fights, you're going to end up tearing it open again."

Ayce nodded and a small smile crossed her lips. "Yes mother…"

Analyn smirked and patted the other blonde's head before standing up. "It's dinner time, but I don't want you moving. I'll bring you your plate." She tossed her last sentence over her shoulder as she walked out, running her fingers though her hair.

Whereas Ayce had large curls that were almost waves, Analyn was stuck with plain, flat hair. Her sister's was lighter than her own gold color, but they were thankful for the difference. It was really the only way to tell them apart, they looked so much alike. And most could tell that Lilith wasn't really related to them, with her chocolate brown waves and green eyes.

Analyn approached the fire and plopped down next to the woman with the short hair, Carol. The woman smiled at this, which Analyn returned. She glanced around as she was handed a bowl of some sort of stew, her face twisting with confusion. "Hey, where's Lilith?" As she voiced her question, Lori walked up to their little group. "Has anyone seen Shane?"

Over in his own little world, Daryl could be heard snickering, barely able to keep his laughter in. Analyn shot a glare in his direction before standing. "Could someone bring a bowl to Ayce? I'm going to find Lilith."

Analyn didn't wait to hear their response. They were good people, and wouldn't let Ayce go without eating in her condition.

It wasn't for a good while before she heard rustling in the bushes behind her. She felt the adrenaline course though her, and she mentally scolded herself for going without a weapon. The thing reached her, popping out of the foliage and making her jump.

"Daryl, what the hell? Make some noise or something. What are you doing here?"

The redneck shrugged. "You went without a weapon, and besides, you probably can't track to save your life." Analyn sighed and shook her head. "No, I really can't…"

Daryl nodded and walked in front of her, crossbow ready. He was the first to break the silence as they walked.

"So, I do wonder why you two do all of this. Not that I care, but neither of you seem to like the stepsister all that much, so why defend her? Why go looking for her when she's most likely screwing around in the bushes?"

Analyn raised an eyebrow at his questions. "Sounds like someone does care, but smarty pants, how do you know she's our stepsister? We never said she was."

Daryl glanced back with a funny look on his face before facing forward again. "You mean to tell me that two blue-eyed blondes are blood related to a green-eyed brunet? No way. And no, I don't care. Just curious."

Analyn rolled her eyes, but before she could consider answering him, a noise was heard of to their right. Whatever was doing it was too big to be an animal. Daryl walked with caution, Analyn a little more careless. She rushed ahead of him blindly. She heard him yell for her to stop, but she kept going. Upon entering the clearing, she did a complete 180, yelling as she did so.

"Oh, God! Really Lilith?!"

Daryl came out of the trees, an amused expression on his face. "Well, what do you know? I was right." He lowered his crossbow and gave a side glance at Analyn, who was facing her sister again, her expression very different from his own.

Analyn was pissed. Lilith couldn't even go through the end of the world without trying to screw someone.

Lilith was currently backed against a tree, her leg wrapped around Shane's waist and her arms around his neck. Thankfully, the only clothing that seemed to be missing was Shane's shirt. Lilith was set on the ground as Shane turned around to make up some sort of an excuse.

Before the words left his lips, Analyn held up her hand, silencing him. She grabbed Lilith by the wrist and pulled her off towards the camp. Daryl shook his head and followed.

Ayce, to say the least, was mad. Her shouting seemed to echo throughout the hills, waking people from their sleep, and amusing the redneck.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! You think you can just walk off into the woods to screw someone?! Have you forgotten that I'm still in charge of you? You must seem to think that you are better than everyone, walking off unprotected and disobeying! You are alive now because I've set certain rules, and you think that you can break them the first chance you get! Why?"

At this point, a sort of crowd had gathered, but not in the obvious sense. No, they kept their distance.

Ayce was in the brunet's face, much like she had done Daryl. Lilith tried to keep a bored expression, but a hint of fear was under that. She shrugged her shoulders, taking to examining her nails. "It's not like you're my mother…"

Ayce narrowed her eyes and sneered. "No, I'm not. She was beaten to death by your good for nothing father." Lilith put her hand down and got faced Ayce with equal distain. "Yep. And if it weren't for this zombie shit, he would have done the same to you and Analyn."

Ayce nodded her head, a small, secret smile gracing her lips. "I know that. It's the reason I did what I did."

Lilith narrowed her eyes; her mind going back to the day her dad died, and put two and two together. Her green eyes widened, her hand balled into a fist, and she swung. Ayce stepped back to evade it, but wasn't counting on her shoulder ramming into her stomach. She yelped at the pain that struck her, the wound on her side bleeding freshly. Ayce regained her balance, raised her own fist, and struck the brunet right in the face. One hit, and she was out cold.

By then, the ones who had rushed from the group to break up the fight had reached them. Analyn had waited this argument out in the tent, but had untangled herself from blankets when the first punch had been swung. She now stood at the entrance of their tent, slightly shocked at Ayce, but not _that_ shocked.

Ayce clutched her side not taking her eyes off Lilith. She felt someone lead her to the RV to get stitched back up. Someone picked up Lilith and carried her into their tent. Ayce shook her head, surprised by her train of thought.

_She won't last much longer…_

She was sat down in the RV, the person moving about, gathering supplies. Needle, thread, gauze, tape, and alcohol.

"I'm not a doctor, but Ana said that you had some training. So, you can probably take care of that yourself, right?"

Ayce looked up, the confusion written all over her face. Questions ran through her head, but only one came out.

"You call her Ana?"

Daryl laughed softly and shrugged. "Well, Analyn is kind of a mouthful. So yea, Ana."

Ayce felt her lips twitch, the smile trying to hide itself. She lifted her shirt, removed the bandage from earlier, and poured the alcohol on it, cleaning the blood off. She hissed at the pain, but kept at it. When the majority of the blood was gone, she grabbed the needle and thread. She took a deep breath and began the stitching. Only a few had been ripped open, so the task didn't take long.

Ayce set the bloodied needle down and reached for the gauze. However, the object was snatched from her reach. She looked up to see Daryl. "You're still here?" He shrugged at her question and answered gruffly. "Never left." He motioned for her to move her hands out of the way as he knelt down in front of her. She obliged, a strange look crossing her features. He didn't meet her gaze as he placed the gauze over the new stitching, or when he applied the tape.

He didn't say anything after that, just stood and left the RV. Ayce kept a look of indifference as she cleaned up and went back to their tent to sleep.

Ayce woke late the next morning. Lilith and Analyn were already up and gone, doing different things around the campsite. Well, Analyn was. Lilith didn't like manual labor.

Ayce ran her fingers though her bedhead, attempting to get her curls under control. She glanced about the tent, finally noticing that their things were here.

'_Where did they find the time to get it here…?'_

She didn't think too hard on it; she was grateful that her bow was here. The backup arrows were there as well, reminding her that she broke the others. That made her grimace. The thought of going through the task of making more did not appeal to her.

She searched her bag for her brush, one of the very few things she carried that were luxuries. After taming the wild mess, she walked out of the tent.

Today, Ayce made it a point to get to know the other people. As it was, Carol turned out to be a very nice person, so she spent a lot of time with her. Ed, her husband, was a real piece of work. He was obviously an abusive person, which made her want to be around Carol even more to keep her safe. Their daughter was a bucket of sunshine, but didn't trust Ayce, that was for sure. Now, there were people that Ayce could live without, like Lori. Analyn had said what they walked in on with her and Shane, than found out Rick was her husband. She understood Lori's intentions, but didn't agree with them. She disliked Shane simply for what he did with Lori and tried with Lilith. Andrea seemed okay, but very full of herself. Ayce was sure she was a lesbian; she tried so hard to be one of the guys. Dale was certainly the grandfather of the group. He was really amazing, and Ayce took to him instantly.

Ayce found that Rick had left with T-Dog, Glenn, and Daryl. She was slightly disappointed to hear that, although she wasn't sure why.

Ayce insisted on helping the ladies with their chores around the camp. She was sitting with Carol, washing clothes. The blonde was over joyed that she could wash her clothes finally. They were talking and laughing, and Ayce wondered how she could have ever thought that avoiding these people was a bad idea.

It wasn't long before Ed came over to them. He made comments to Carol, which angered Ayce and Andrea. Andrea opened her mouth to say something, but Ayce beat her to it. "Hey asshole. How bout you go find something productive to do, and leave the woman alone. She's actually doing something, unlike you."

Ed didn't seem to like this. "She's MY wife, so you don't get a say, missy. Besides, what are you going to do, beat me like you did your sister?"

Ayce narrowed her eyes, and they were fine with throwing comments back and forth, but chaos ensued when he grabbed Carol and hit her. All the women jumped up, grabbing Carol and putting her behind them. Ayce punched Ed in the nose, causing blood to go everywhere. He stumbled back a bit, went to hit back, but was intercepted.

Shane had come to the rescue. He beat Ed to a bloody pulp, ignoring the women and their pleas for him to stop. Ayce wanted to knock some sense into Carol. The woman went over to Ed's side, apologizing. Ayce shook her head and walked to get her clothes.

The day was uneventful as most days were. Jim started digging, but that was about it. The interesting stuff didn't happen until nightfall, and the zombie horde attacked.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: So, this one is longer. I finally got to a point where I can put out a chapter per episode. Hehe. Anyway, so, I hope this one was decent, I really tried to put more dialogue, but honestly, it's not my strong point. I write better detail than actual talking. But I am working on it **** I've also come to notice that my attempts at splitting up scenes was failing, so the whole *PAGE BREAK* thing is the scene changing. **

**Inspirational Song: With Eyes Wide Shut by Blessthefall**

Chapter 3

Ayce tiptoed though the trees, bow at the ready. Her feet only made soft sounds as she walked. If she had been healed all the way, you even know she was there. Her blue orbs calculated the distance between herself and the deer, a small looking doe. She needed to be closer if she wanted to hit it for certain, and she didn't have room for mistakes. The blonde risked a few more feet before aiming the bow. She drew the string back, the cams making minimal noise. The deer's head shot up a spit second before Ayce let the arrow go. The animal knew it was too late to evade the attack, but tried to all the same. What would have been a head shot ended up in its neck. She watched sadly as it died. She didn't want it to be slow or painful for it, even if it was only a few extra seconds.

Ayce attached the makeshift strap to the bow and slung it over her shoulder to join the quiver of arrows. She then pulled the arrow from the deer and stashed it away in the quiver, grabbed the deer, and slung it over her other shoulder. The campsite wasn't far, and the der wasn't heavy, but she wanted to hurry back. You never knew when a zombie was just around the corner.

*PAGE BREAK*

Analyn scrubbed furiously at the dishes she held. It didn't take much to make her mad, but when she learned of what Ed did to Carol, she couldn't help but think back to her parent's relationship. So now she was doing the lunch dishes, venting her anger.

"I don't mean to burst everyone's bubble, but we may have a problem."

Analyn stopped scrubbing and looked behind her. Dale was amidst the group, and drawing their attention towards Jim, who was off on a hill digging. At first, Analyn couldn't see why that was a problem, but then Dale explained. Jim wouldn't drink water even though it was insanely hot today, wouldn't take a break, and he wouldn't tell Dale why her was digging.

Analyn put down the dishes and dried off her hands. The group had decided to go and confront Jim and try to reason with him. They all walked up together, and Shane attempted to reason with Jim again. Lori put in her two cents, saying that he was scaring Carl and Sophia. Shane was done being nice by then and ordered Jim to take a break.

"If I don't...then what?" Jim challenges him. "Then you're gonna beat my face in like Ed, aren't'cha?"

Shane wasn't given a chance to reply. Jim swung his shovel at him, but missed, giving Shane the chance to tackle the man. Jim was subdued and tied to a tree where he could cool off and gather his senses.

*PAGE BREAK*

Ayce finally reached the campsite, and the first thing she noticed was that Lilith was out and about. Ever since their fight, the younger sister had made herself scarce and had avoided everyone like the plague. Now she was on her way to the lake with bathing materials.

Ayce shook her head and continued to her tent to drop off her weapons. After that was said and done, she went to the edge of the camp to gut and skin her deer.

About halfway through the process, Analyn appeared by her side.

"And here you were saying that it was boring around here. The day you go hunting, something of interest goes down."

Ayce raised an eyebrow and went about skinning the deer. "What did I miss?"

Analyn sat on the grass next to the other blonde and pointed off to where Jim was tied up still. "Ol' Jim over there went a little crazy. He started digging what looks like graves up on the hill. Scared the kids, attacked Shane. We had to tie him up…"

Ayce almost laughed. Jim was one of the people who were on her 'cool' list. The guy didn't seem like he could hurt a fly, and now she was hearing that he attacked Shane. For some reason, this was comical to her.

Ayce finished with the deer, announcing that it was ready to be cooked. As it turned out, the campfire had been upgraded with larger stones to protect a larger fire. The group had planned on a fish cookout, and Ayce was more than happy to add her deer to the mix.

Ayce was just finishing the final prep for the food when Dale approached her.

"You know, the world is a very dangerous place now. Plenty of things to go wrong. But we've come to find that there is safety in numbers."

Ayce glanced at him with an unreadable expression before going back to her work, know that he was implying something. "What is it that you're trying to say, Dale?"

A smile pulled at Dale's lips. "Nothing gets past you, does it?" He shook his head and answered her question. "You know, we could use you three. We could use another hunter, and you have medical training. Analyn is great with everyone here, and enjoys most of the women's work."

Ayce almost laughed when he declined to say anything about Lilith, but said nothing about it. "What does everyone else say? And what about those who aren't even here to get a say?"

Dale shook his head. "Everyone agrees than you would be a great asset. And as for 'those who don't get a say'…well, they will have to get over it."

Ayce turned to face him with a small smile. "I'll think about it."

*PAGE BREAK*

Everyone sat around the campfire now, teasing Dale about his habit with his wristwatch. He didn't really give a straight answer, only saying that it was important to keep time. Analyn grinned at this, knowing that he was referring to Andrea keeping track of Amy's birthday. The woman was so worried about wrapping her gift, and Analyn just had to help her. They ended up finding some pink paper and wrapping it in that.

They were having a good time chatting away when the screams hit them. It was Amy, and a zombie had her. Everything became chaotic after that. Ed was bit, Amy was bit, and everyone was rushing around, trying to fend off the zombies, or rather, 'walkers' as everyone called them. It was one scream in particular that stopped the two siblings in their tracks.

Ayce and Analyn looked at the same time, neither of them wanting to accept that truth before them. It was Lilith. Blood gushed down her figure from a bite on her neck. She stumbled forward and collapsed in the dirt, her blood pooling around her.

Analyn finds herself unable to move, her mind barely able to notice that the group was back from Atlanta. T-Dog shot down the walker that got Lilith, but Analyn still couldn't move.

Ayce was a different story. She saw Lilith go down, and for a split second, everything slowed around her. She didn't fully understand the saying 'Time seemed to stop' until then. She heard ringing in her ears; she didn't hear the shouting around her, didn't notice that someone already killed the walker. She wanted it to feel pain.

She looked around with wild eyes, and grabbed the first weapon she saw. She wasn't sure what it was, but it would do. The chaos had died down, but it didn't seem to faze her. Ayce raised the weapon high and brought it down on the walker's head, repeating the action over and over. She didn't stop, not even when what used to be its head was now a blood mush.

Someone wrestled the object away from her, and Ayce didn't like it one bit. The blonde tried to keep it, but it slipped from her grasp. She was infuriated at this, and began to beat at the person who took it. She struck blindly at whatever she could; arms, stomach, chest, face. That was stopped too as two arms wrapped around her, halting her attack and wrapping her against their chest. Ayce tried to escape, but they held her tight.

Unable to move, she did the one thing she could do. She cried. For the first time in since the world ended, she let her tears fall. Her legs gave out, sending her to the ground. Her dead weight was too much for her captor and sent them both down. The person didn't say anything, only held her as she let it all out.

Ayce wasn't sure how long she stayed like that. She didn't move for a long time, although her tears stopped a good while ago. The person shifted slightly, and spoke for the first time.

"Time to get up, Blondie…"

The voice definitely belonged to a man, and had a slight accent. A kind of…redneck-ish tone. Her eyes went wide and she wiggled out of his grasp, looking up into the face of Daryl Dixon.

He didn't look hateful, or annoyed, just apologetic.

Ayce didn't say anything. She removed herself from his grasp, gathering that she hadn't been in his arms for hours, but only a few minutes. She looked everywhere; the carnage, Analyn, Amy and Andrea. Everywhere but at Lilith.

She soon ran out of places to look, and brought her eyes down to the brunet.

She was face down, one arm stretched out above her head while the other was twisted behind her back.

Ayce felt the tears gather again, and she dropped back to her knees. The tears didn't fall. She reached out her hand and pulled it back, repeating this a few times before actually touching the dead girl. She gently rolled her over on her back. Ayce gasped softly and quickly dragged her fingers over the green eyes, closing them. They weren't her eyes anymore, anyway. Lilith's were always vivid and usually held a mischievous glint to them, but now, they were pale and lifeless. They weren't hers.

*PAGE BREAK*

Analyn couldn't bring herself to go over to her family. Not when Ayce lost her cool and demolished the walker, not when she attacked Daryl, or when she finally broke down. Now that she was moving and somewhat sane, Analyn brought herself to her feet and slowly trudged over to her protector. She ignored Daryl, who hadn't left Ayce's side, and sat on the other side. Her hand sought out Ayce's, and together, they said goodbye to the sister who hated them, the one who claimed at every opportunity that she had no blood relation to them at all. The little sister that they had loved anyway.

*PAGE BREAK*

It was daytime when Ayce and Analyn went to grab Ayce's bow. They hated it, but they had to make sure that Lilith didn't come back. Ayce was the one to do it. She grabbed one of her arrows and sat next to her fallen sibling. The blonde said one last goodbye before driving the arrow through her skull. It wasn't easy, but Ayce was strong enough to get it done. Analyn would have struggled to do it.

Everyone rounded up the bodies. The loved ones would be buried, and the walkers would burn. When it came time for Lilith to be wrapped up and carted off, neither of the remaining sisters could bring themselves to do it. In the end, Rick and Daryl took care of it.

"There's blood on your shirt."

The comment drew Analyn's attention to Jim and Jacqui. They were doing as everyone else was, pilling bodies and such, but the older woman was right. There was blood. He begged Jacqui not to tell, but she was too scared.

"Jim was bit by a walker."

Her announcement got the attention of those around them, including Ayce. Everyone began to circle him, but the two sisters stayed where they were. Jim attempted to fend everyone off with a shovel, but is no match for T-Dog. He grabbed Jim from behind, giving Daryl the chance to lift his shirt, exposing a bite wound. Analyn gasped silently, her hands quickly reaching up to cover her mouth. She felt bad for him as he tried over and over again to tell them that he was okay.

*PAGE BREAK*

"I say we put a pickaxe in his head," Daryl offered, stating the obvious. "The line's pretty clear; zero tolerance for walkers."

Rick shook his head. "No, we don't kill the living. There's gotta be another way." He paused for a second before he continued. "I heard that the CDC may have answers. If there's any place that has a solution, don't you think it would be there?"

Shane countered Ricks plan with his own. "Fort Benning is a better place. We would get protection, shelter, and food. It's military; it's safe."

Rick however, stated an obvious fact. "And what state has every other military base been in? They were overrun. Out best bet is the CDC. It's closer and Jim's best chance. In the event that we were attacked, the CDC would be protected at all costs. If there is any form of government left, it's there."

Daryl obviously wasn't hearing it. He lunged at Jim with his pick axe, but was stopped in his tracks when Rick pointed a gun at his temple. "We don't kill the living," Rick said, but Daryl snapped back. "Funny, coming from a guy who just put a gun to my head."

Analyn and Ayce jumped in, attempting to calm the situation before it escalated. Ayce put her hand on the gun, lowering it away from Daryl's head, while Analyn eased the axe from Daryl's hands.

Ayce glared at Rick, throwing his own words back at him. "Stop it now. Fighting among ourselves isn't going to solve anything. Not with the walkers after us."

Shane agreed with Rick, saying they would go to the CDC.

Rick moved off to put Jim in the RV. Analyn gave Daryl his axe back and walked off the where Andrea was with Amy. Dale was just leaving the two, and Ayce took this chance to speak to him. Daryl had long since left, having to 'kill' the other bodies. Andrea was still waiting for Amy to come back, and Carol was currently bashing her late husband's head in. After a few goes, she didn't have the energy to lift the axe again. Daryl raised an eye brow and a funny look, almost like a puppy, crossed his face. He held out his hand for the weapon. "Can I have my pick axe back now…?" His question was much like a child asking for his favorite toy back. This almost made Ayce laugh, and if it weren't for the events that just occurred, she would have.

The older blonde approached the elderly man. "The answer to your proposal is yes. We're going with you."

Dale glanced over to where Lilith had fallen, where only a blood pool was a reminder. "And, ah, what made you come to this decision?"

Ayce looked at him knowingly. "I have to protect Analyn. I can't lose her too. You were right about the safety in numbers thing. If anything happened to me, at least I know she would still be safe."

Dale nodded his head, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. "Alright then. Now, there's enough room in the RV for another person, but you two are going to have to slip up for the road trips."

Ayce nodded her head. "Analyn can take the RV. I'll fit in elsewhere."

A shot rang out, startling everyone and drawing their attention to Andrea and Amy. Andrea was in tears, and a fresh hole was in the side of Amy's head. Ayce looked on with a sad expression, but didn't say anything.

Daryl chose that moment to speak his mind, saying that he thinks they should burn all the bodies. Ayce rounded on him once again. "No. We need time to mourn our dead. It's what _people_ do." She didn't give him a chance to reply. The infuriated blonde walked off to her tent to begin packing it up for easy departure in the morning.

They buried everyone they lost. Analyn cried, Ayce did not. In her mind, she had to be strong. She had to keep it together for Analyn's sake.

Ayce felt eyes on her, almost like a burning sensation. She lifted her blue eyes from the graves to find stormy blue looking right back at her. It seemed to be that a permanent scowl was fixed on Daryl's face, for that was all he looked at her with. The time he was comforting her about Lilith was an exception.

Ayce stared a few more seconds before he looked away. Her gaze lingered before going back to the hole in the ground. Seconds afterwards, she felt that burning again.

*PAGE BREAK*

The next morning was very heartfelt for everyone. Analyn was happier upon knowing that they would be staying with the group. In fact, most everyone was. Shane seemed hesitant to allow the siblings in the group, but Dale talked some sense into him. Daryl was indifferent.

Morales and his family were leaving for Birmingham to be with family. As they said their goodbyes, Ayce looked on with calculating eyes.

_They won't make it…_

Analyn faced Ayce with a grin. "I'll take the bag with clothes and food, so you only have to carry your bow. Who you riding with, anyway?" Ayce grinned and shouldered her bow and quiver, glancing at Daryl's truck. "Oh… I have something planned."

Analyn grinned and laughed at this. "Oh, good luck with that!"

Ayce hugged the younger blonde, watching her climb into the RV. She then proceeded to toss her things in the bed of the old truck and climbed into the passenger seat. She buckled the seatbelt before turning to face a very upset Daryl.

"Just what in the hell do you think you're doing?"

Ayce smirked. "I'm sitting. Don't you have something better to do than ask stupid questions? Like, oh, I don't know, starting the truck?"

He glared at her and nodded. "Yea, but who told you to hop into my ride? Bunk with someone else."

Ayce sighed and tapped the armrest. "Are we gonna get moving, or what, Cowboy?"

Daryl clenched his jaw, but gave up upon seeing the caravan pull out. He mumbled things that weren't too nice under his breath, but Ayce paid them no mind. She rested her head on the window and decided to take a nap. Her last thought was to find some better CDs somewhere, because she just wasn't down with this country stuff.

*PAGE BREAK*

Ayce woke with a jerk, her hands coming up to fend off an attacker. Daryl sat next to her, hands raised in a defensive gesture. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Just thought you should know, were here."

Ayce nodded in thanks and opened the door, stepped out of the vehicle, and grabbed her bow. She loaded an arrow and walked with caution, surveying the area. All around, everywhere, there were dead military members. They were strewn about the pavement in a disturbing manner. Analyn stayed with the group, not wanting to get in Ayce's way while she was on alert. The group approached the CDC building slowly, taking in the bodies everywhere and the shuttered doors.

Ayce drew in a sharp breath when the first walker made itself known. "Guys, we have walkers…" She drew back the arrow and released, cringing at the slight sting on her bare arm. She hoped to any God that she could get her arm bracers fixed soon.

Everyone began to panic. Of course, Shane was the first to say that the CDC was a bad idea. "We can still turn around and head for Fort Benning."

Andrea was the first to point out that they didn't have the gas or enough food.

Rick began to shout at the security camera. "If you don't let us in, you're killing us!"

Shane started to drag him away from the door while Rick struggled against his hold. Ayce ran up to the zombie she took down and grabbed her arrow, pulling it free in time to be engulfed by a white light.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: So, here's a longer chapter. I usually try to make them 2,000 words or more, but this one's over 4,000. So, kudos to me! A thing I've noticed is that a lot of people read this, but I get hardly any reviews. I'm not saying you have to, and I'm not begging. I'm just saying that reviews make me VERY happy. **

**In this chapter, we get a little background for the siblings. It's not much, but I thought it was needed. I plan to give more as the chapters go.**

**Inspirational Song: Monster by Paramore, Running Up That Hill by Placebo**

Chapter 4

"Ayce, ohmygosh, you won't believe what happened today!"

Ayce smiled at her little sister's actions as she climbed into the silver Chevy Impala. She put her school things in the back seat at turned to the older blonde with a grin on her face. She paused for a dramatic affect before gushing out the news.

"Tyler asked me to homecoming!"

Ayce frowned slightly at this. "Who is he again? It he the artist?"

Analyn shook her head and smiled wider, if that were possible. "Nope, he's the football guy."

Ayce nodded her head and grinned. "Ahhh, quarterback dude… Nice one."

"So she FINALLY got a date. Congrats, bimbo…"

The mood was soured as Lilith climbed into the back seat, tapping away at her phone.

Analyn glowered at her. "At least I can stick to one guy at a time, Miss I-Probably-Have-A-STD."

Lilith chuckled. "Good one. Come up with that yourself?"

Ayce turned the volume to her stereo up, effectively silencing them with Sleeping With Sirens. She then put the car in drive and pulled away from the high school.

Analyn stared out the window. It was fall, still the beginning of the new year, and it was her last. She was thankful for that, but she didn't know what she was going to do about collage. She glanced behind her at Lilith, who was still texting. Lilith was a Sophomore, and already, she had screwed half of the football AND the basketball team. The blue eyed blonde stared a few more seconds before facing forward, noticing that they were already almost home.

Ayce was 24, but still lived with them while she went to med school and had a job. Most people thought it was because of dorm prices, but the real reason lived inside.

At first, Timmy seemed like a descent guy, and wooed their mother. She had lost her first husband when Ayce was 13, and she met Timmy when she was 18. For a while, the relationship was great, and they were married by the time Ayce went to college. Then things went downhill. Timmy would drink a lot, and get angry, and would take it out on their mother. Ayce was the only one who got in his face and made him stop. She then moved back in the house to protect her family. Her mother wouldn't leave him, but Ayce stayed for Analyn. It would be a cold day in hell before she let him lay a hand on Analyn. Lilith, of course, was okay. She was daddy's little girl.

The three siblings climbed out of the car and began to move towards the front door. They halted, however, when a large black truck came crashing down the road. They froze, open-mouthed, and watched as the truck crashed into a nearby house. Flames engulfed it, and the screaming started. The driver climbed out of the exploded vehicle, its movements the opposite of someone on fire. People came out of their houses and ran to the person, each one trying to see if they could help. The burning figure rushed at the nearest woman, latched on to her, and tore a chunk of her shoulder off with its teeth.

Ayce came to her senses and grabbed the other two girls, rushing them into the house. "Come on! Get inside."

Timmy and Leah were in the living room with looks of confusion on their faces. Leah was the first to speak. "Girls, what's going on out there? We heard a crash and screaming…"

Ayce glanced at her siblings, who were still in shock, before slowly saying, "I'm not quite sure…"

*PAGE BREAK*

The group files into the lobby quickly while a man introduces himself as Doctor Edwin Jenner. He makes no small talk, just goes straight to the point.

"Why are you here, and what do you want?" Jenner asked them. "A chance," Rick said.

Ayce lowered her bow and watched the exchange, still on alert, and waited to see how this would pan out.

Jenner looked them over before turning back to Rick. That's asking an awful lot these days," Jenner replied," But I'll let you in, so long as you take the blood test. Grab your things," he told them. "Once this door closes, it stays closed."

They all went to grab their things and followed Jenner down to the basement.

"Do doctors always walk around packin' heat?" Daryl asked.

Jenner gave a look that clearly said 'Are you stupid?' and replied, "There were plenty left lying around. I familiarized myself. But you look harmless enough"

Carol then spoke up. "Are we underground?" Jenner glanced back and asked, "Why? Are you claustrophobic?" Carol nodded her head, which caused Jenner to smirk. "Just try not to think about it."

They stepped out of the underground hallway and into the control room. The doctor called out into the darkness, as if talking to himself. "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room," he said, and the lights came on. He turned to the group and said, "Welcome to Zone 5."

They all looked around and Ayce noticed something off. Just as she went to voice this, Rick beat her to it. "Where are all the other doctors?" Jenner kept his face expressionless as he stated that he was only one left. Lori asked about Vi, and Jenner explained that it was the CDC's computer system.

As Jenner took a blood sample from Andrea, Ayce asked him what the point is. "If we were infected, we'd all be running a fever," she scoffed, but Jenner asked her to humor him. When Andrea stands, she wobbled a bit, unsteady on her feet. Jenner seemed suspicious, but the thoughts were gone when Jacqui explained. "She hasn't eaten in days. None of us have."

A grin spread across Jenner's face, as if a brilliant idea came to him.

*PAGE BREAK*

The group sat around a large table, a sort of feast spread out in front of them. Everyone was laughing, drinking, and having a good time. Glenn drank a lot and got drunk. He tried to stop, but Daryl pushed another bottle into his hands. "Drink up, Chinaman," he demanded. "I wanna see just how red you can get." Everyone laughed at this. Carl was given something nonalcoholic, but he begged Lori to let him try the wine.

"Come on. End of the world? Let the kind live a little," Rick insisted. Lori relented, and it was silent as Carl took a sip. His face wrinkled up in disgust. "Ewww." Lori rubbed his back with a smile.

Ayce smiled and walked over to the counter where they spread tout the bottles. She looked them over, searching for a specific one. '_We are in the South, so it's not uncommon…' _Southern Comfort, Tequila, Wild Turkey… She grinned as her eyes landed on the one she wanted. '_Oh, my good friend Jack…_ 'She grabbed the bottle of Gentleman's Jack and spun around, running into a very solid chest.

Ayce fumbled with the bottle and looked up, finding the stormy eyes that seemed to always get under her skin. But not tonight. She was too happy to be mad at anyone. Apparently, so was he. "That," Daryl said, pointing at the object in her hands, "is my bottle."

Ayce stuck her tongue out at him in a childish manner and made it a point to check the bottle all over. "Well, that's a funny fact, because I don't see your name on it, Cowboy."

He made a grab for it, but she pulled it out of his reach, holding it behind her. She was barely aware of the fact that he had her cornered. He laughed at her attempt to keep the bottle from him. He leaned back and narrowed his eyes. "Come on now, Blondie. You're not gonna keep a man from his whisky, are ya?" Ayce raised an eyebrow and stole a glance at the counter. "I see a very nice looking bottle of Wild Turkey."

A mischievous glint shined in Daryl's eyes, and before she knew it, he was inches from her. It was much like their first meeting, only without the hostility and hate. No, this had an air of playfulness and humor. His hands came to rest on the counter that she was backed against on either side of her waist, effectively trapping her.

"Keep this up, Blondie, and you won't like the consequences," he growled.

Now, Ayce knew the difference between a playful growl, a sexy growl, and a hostile growl, and this definitely wasn't playful or hostile. The blonde was very well aware by now that he was trapped by him. Strong arms encasing her, perfectly toned body pressed against hers. Yea, she was _very_ much aware.

She looked him in the eye, crystal blue meeting stormy blue, and for a second, they forgot the party. The voices faded away. They were both thinking the same thing.

Those few pesky inches were separating them…

"Hey you two! Get a room! There are kids here…" Ayce jumped, once again almost dropping the bottle. Daryl sighed and leaned back. He grabbed the Wild Turkey and retreated to the table. Ayce looked over to the speaker. Analyn had a grin, as did everyone else, but her eyes were narrowed, calculating. She tilted her head ever so slightly, as if asking a question. Ayce shook her head and sat down in her place, and Analyn left it at that. Ayce knew she would bring it up later, though.

Shane had to ruin it all, though.

"When are you gonna tell us what the hell happened here?" he asked with an air of seriousness. Lori and Rick gave him disapproving looks, while everyone else seemed to slump in their seats, even Ayce. Daryl shook his head, muttering, "Way to be a buzz kill, man…" Ayce and Glenn couldn't help but agree.

Jenner sighed, but answered, looking as if he didn't wish to. "Some ran when it all began, to be with their families. "The rest," he said, "couldn't face walking out the door. They...opted out. I stayed, thinking that maybe I could do some good. That I could fix whatever was going on out there."

*PAGE BREAK*

"Here's where you will be sleeping. There's a rec room over there," he said, turning towards the children. "Just don't plug in anything and use the power. There's enough for hot water, just don't use too much."

Ayce and Analyn shared a look and grabbed each other's hand, rushing into an available room. Analyn tossed their things on the floor while Ayce ran at the bed. She laughed as she launched herself onto the queen sized mattress, landing face up. She rolled over onto her back and sighed, the bed seeming like heaven after sleeping in tents and on the forest floor for over a month.

A deep chuckling reached her ears, causing her to perk her head up and look out the open door. She locked gazed with Daryl, who was leaned against the door frame across the hall. Ayce just grinned and set her head back, continuing to relish in the comfort.

Turns were taken with the showers. Once one family was done, they would get the next down the hall. While they waited, the siblings took a look around the room. A bed, a dresser, two end tables, no closet, and a small bathroom. The only thing that registered in Ayce's mind was the wall outlets.

"Analyn," she sang. "There's a power outlet." She pointed the bare wall, not looking behind her. She knew from the noise that her younger sister was making a mad dash for their bags. A few seconds later, she appeared at her side, cords and plugs in hand. "I know Jenner said no power," she said with desperation. "But this doesn't take much, and I NEED this…"

Analyn plugged two of their wall chargers into the duel outlet, found the right cords, and plugged them into the mp3s in her hand. She set the both pairs of the matching iPods next to them on the floor. Ayce sighed and stared longingly at the charging devices. "That really is a beautiful sight…"

A knock at the door sounded. Ayce sent one last gaze at the wall as she opened the door. When she turned, she was rewarded with an eyeful of bare chest and defined abs, followed by a black towel wrapped around a _very_ nice waist.

Her blue eyes widened and heat flushed her face. Somehow, Ayce managed to look at the face the body belonged to, and of course, it would be _him_.

Daryl cleared his throat. "The shower's open…" He raised an eyebrow at Ayce, but she could see the underlying smirk. Ayce stammered an 'okay' and quickly closed the door. She rested her back against the door, her mind at war.

'_What the HELL was that about?!'_

Analyn giggled, jolting her from her thoughts. "Ayce, you might wanna clean up the puddle of drool you're standing in…"

Ayce threw her a dirty look. "It's the alcohol… It's having more of an affect than I thought it would."

Ayce ran to grab her shower stuff and headed out the door, Analyn close behind her.

*PAGE BREAK*

_Sniff….Sniff…_

Ayce's eyes snapped open from the sudden noise. She glanced around the room, searching for any signs of danger. When she found none, she focused on where it was coming from.

Analyn…

Ayce rolled over onto her side and pulled at the other blonde, wrapping her in her arms. "Oh, sweetie…"

Analyn, she could tell, had been trying to be quiet, but now that Ayce was awake, she sobbed openly. "It's absolutely horrible. She gone…but all I can think…is that she won't be around to complain…anymore. That we can now look out…for each other. I'm sad about it…but not heartbroken…not like Andrea."

Ayce felt her own tears gather, but not because of the loss of Lilith. They were for Analyn, because she was sad about not being sad enough.

Analyn sat up suddenly, pushing the comforter off her. Clothed in only a white tank top and aqua sleep pants, she threw on a cream colored robe they found in the dresser. "I'm going to go see how she's doing…"

Ayce opened her mouth to object, but closed in on a second though. There was a strange glint in her sister's eyes. Ayce nodded and let her go without another thought. The door shut with a soft click, and Ayce snuggled back down into the blanket.

*PAGE BREAK*

Analyn eased out of the bedroom quietly. Andrea was sprawled out on the bed, tear tracks staining her checks from last night. Analyn had found her awake after leaving Ayce and the older woman allowed the blonde teen to comfort her.

She smiled as she shut the door and tiptoed down the hall. She paused in front of her door, listening to the loud snoring that came from Daryl's room. Analyn shook her head at this knowing her sister wouldn't mind in the slightest. Usually, Ayce could sleep through anything. Last night, she seemed restless, and she woke.

She knew, though, she knew that her sister liked the rough redneck. Even if she wouldn't admit it. He harbored the same feelings, but Analyn wasn't sure if he knew it or not. Before this was over though, she would make sure Ayce found some sort of happiness.

Analyn snuck into the room to dress for the day. She donned a pair of acid washed blue jeans, a grey tank top, and a black dress shirt to cover it, the buttons she left undone. She then grabbed her tennis shoes and tugged them over a pair of socks, packed their now fully charged music players, and slipped out the door to find food and Jenner. She was hoping that maybe he knew where a sewing kit was.

*PAGE BREAK*

Ayce shifted around the bed, slowly waking up. She lay there for a while before getting dressed in a pair of black cargo jeans, a red T-shirt, and her combat boots. She grabbed the bottle of Jack that still held a third of the liquid and headed to the control room.

Once there, she found that everyone was already up. Rick was getting meds from Lori, Glenn was holding his head, obviously hung over, T-Dog and Analyn had make eggs, and Daryl was eyeing Glenn smugly.

Ayce uncapped her bottle and drank about a shot's worth before passing it to Glenn. "Here, Chinaman. Before my dad died when I was little, he always said the best thing for a hangover is more alcohol. Drink up." Glenn stared at the bottle with distaste, but his only response was "I'm Korean…" and he proceeded to sip from the bottle.

"Ayce," Analyn called. "I found a sewing kit, so I fixed your arm protectors."

Ayce grinned and gave her sister a quick hug. "You are the best. I think one more shot from that bow without them, and I would have flayed my skin…. Not pretty."

Jenner entered the room then, and the whole air turned serious as Andrea and Dale had to ask annoying questions. Ayce tuned out for the most part. She got the brunt of the conversation, but didn't really want to concern herself with details.

Her thought were interrupted by Daryl's loud question. "What's with the countdown?"

Jenner answered, "The basement generators, they run out of fuel." At zero, VI explained, plant-wide decontamination will occur.

*PAGE BREAK*

Analyn and Ayce paced in their room. Well, Ayce did the pacing. Analyn sat on the bed. Their things were packed and ready to go, they were simply waiting on the men to get back from the basement. And to make matters worse, the air had cut off a bit ago, causing the air to turn uncomfortably warm.

In that moment, the lights went out. Analyn jumped and Ayce headed straight for the hallway to confront Jenner, who just so happened to be passing by. "Jenner, what the hell is going on?" Jenner didn't spare her a glance as he explained. "It's the building, its shutting itself down," he answered. The men then returned from the basement, but Jenner didn't stop with his explanation. "The system is designed to keep the computers running until the last possible second."

"It was the French," Jenner said." They stuck it out the longest before they too ran out of power, but the building will decontaminate in thirty minutes, and it's too late to stop it without any fuel. Rick yelled at the group to grab their things and run. As this was said, the emergency alarms began to blare. They tried to get out, but Jenner locked them into the control room.

"There's no point in struggling," Jenner stated. "Everything topside is automatically locked down. 'When that door closes, it wouldn't open again' - you heard me say that," he pointed out as Rick tried to demand he open the door.

"It's better this way," Jenner said. Rick pressed him about what happens when the clock gets to zero, and Jenner reminded them where they were. "To prevent strains of disease from getting out if the building's security was ever compromised, HITs would deploy, setting the air on fire. It would decimate the building and everything inside. Death would be instant and painless," Jenner pointed out as he tried to convince Rick to accept his fate. "There's no hope. Last night you said you knew it was just a matter of time before everybody you loved was dead," Jenner argued. He calls the Outbreak humanity's 'extinction event.' With those words, it seemed everyone lost faith.

Ayce tossed her things carelessly aside and went at Jenner. She grabbed him by his shirt collar and landed a good punch before shaking away any stars the hit may have caused. "You sorry son of a bitch!" she yelled. "Let us out of here, right fucking now! I didn't keep my sister alive this long to have her die here!" She raised her arm again, ready to land another blow, but was stopped. Someone had a hold of her arm.

Analyn held Ayce by the elbow, a stern look on her face. "He's not worth it, Ayce. Let him go." Confusion crossed her face, but Ayce lowered her arm with a nod. She looked Jenner in the eye, but said nothing. Her look conveyed all the hate she felt for him perfectly. She gave him a shove as she let go of his collar, sending him crashing into the computers.

Daryl and Shane took to attempting to break through the door, but it was created able to withstand a rocket launcher, and here they were trying to break it down with a pickaxe and guns. Daryl was handed wielding axe, but the door stayed intact.

Shane pointed his automatic at Jenner, wanting to vent some of his frustration. Rick stepped in though, saying, "If you kill him, we'll never get out of here." He then turned to Jenner, asking why he stayed if he had no hope.

Ayce tuned out again and turned to Analyn. She reached up and brushed the blonde hair out of the girl's eyes and held her face between her hands. She locked gazes with her and almost burst into tears on the spot. Ayce spoke lowly, as to not be overheard. "I promise you, I'm going to get us out of this. We've survived this long, and I'm not going to die here. Not when I have you to protect." Analyn nodded and smiled even as her own tears spilt down her face.

Then, the door opened. The whole group froze for a second before rushing to grab their things and run.

Ayce slung her bow and quiver over her shoulder along with a bag, and Analyn grabbed the last two. A hand closed around Ayce's, pulling her forward. She reached and grabbed Analyn's, creating a chain of three. She faced forward and was met with an eyeful of redneck. Ayce wanted to wonder about the sudden hand grabiness, but her thoughts were mainly focused on getting to safety.

The group ran for the exit, but Jacqui stopped in her tracks. "I'm not ending up like Jim and Amy," she explained to them, and tearfully told them to leave while they could. "I'm staying too," Andrea said, sliding dejectedly to the floor.

"Andrea, no!" Dale responded, horrified. He ran to her. "This isn't what Amy would want for you!" Analyn tore her hand from Ayce's grip, much to Ayce's displeasure, and crouched by Andrea. "You can't do this," she stated. "You have to keep trying, for Amy."

They plea with Andrea to com, but she wouldn't budge. "Amy's dead, and you need to leave," Andrea said. She couldn't look either of them in the eye, who were on the verge of tears. The others yelled at Dale to hurry, but he pushed them on without him.

Ayce grabbed Analyn's hand again and Daryl pulled them forward, Analyn yelling the whole way.

"No, we have to go back! We have to get them! She can't die!"

"Analyn shut it!"

"But we have to! What if it were Lilith?!"

"Well it's not!"

They reached the CDC lobby, and sure enough, the doors were locked. They punched on the door, but it wasn't budging. Shane shot a rifle at the glass, but it stayed unbreakable. "I think I have something that might help," Carol said, fumbling in her purse while Shane cracks, "I don't think a nail file's going to do it." Carol ignored him. "Your first morning at camp," she told Rick. "When I washed your uniform? I found this in your pocket." She pulled out a hand grenade.

Ayce felt her blood run cold. It could very well kill them all if they weren't careful. They all ran for cover as Rick pulled the pin. The glass burst, and it was a mad scramble for the cars. Analyn ran for the RV, and Ayce followed Daryl to the truck. He shoved her in first, telling her to get down. He dove in himself, pulled the door shut, and covered her body with his own.

The CDC erupted in a fiery explosion, rocking the vehicles. Ayce felt the muscles in Daryl's body tense as he moved over her, attempting to protect her better in case the fires reached the truck. She shaking stopped, and they slowly sat up.

The first thing Ayce noticed was that Dale and Andrea made it out safely. The second was that Daryl's arms had snaked around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. He was breathing heavily, tickling the back of her neck. She opened her mouth to say something, but was cut off when he lifted her clean off the seat, over his lap, and onto the passenger.

"What the hell?"

He gave her a look as he started the truck and followed the caravan, which had began to move again.

"You were in my seat, woman," he stated with a smirk.

Butterflies erupted in her stomach. A blush stained her cheeks, causing her to turn her head before he saw and could make fun of her.

The caravan was on the road again, leaving behind the rubble and black smoke.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Gah, this took me five days to write…Anyway, remember to Read and Review! It will make me happy.**

**I don't own The Walking Dead! If I did, Lori would have died sooner, and Andrea would be dead by now…And Dale wouldn't have died. **

**Inspirational Song: Lose It by Atreyu and No Surprise by Daughtry**

Chapter 5

The Sun beat down on them offering little comfort as the group tries to decide what to do next. It was apparent that the walkers held the city now, but it remained to be seen as to where they were headed.

Ayce leaned against Daryl's truck as Shane and Rick talked nearby, Analyn was conversing with Dale and Andrea. T-Dog stayed close to Glenn and Lori, and Carol looked after the kids. Daryl was fixing up his bike. The decision to leave behind the truck wasn't the best in her opinion, but it was whatever.

Ayce pushed herself away from the truck and changed the song on her mp3. The amazing growling of Motionless in White blared in her ears out of the purple Skull Candy she had acquired. She grabbed her bow and bag from the bed of the truck and went to stash them in the RV.

Once she emerged from the RV, she stopped, the sound of sniffling reaching her ears. Glancing around, she found Sophie sitting on the pavement by the back of the RV. Another quick look let her know that Carol was busy with the adults, who had now gathered in a big group to talk.

Ayce walked over to the girl and knelt down in front of her and reached out to place a hand on her arm.  
"What's the matter, sweetie?" The little blonde looked up, revealing red eyes and tears. She held her knee and sniffed again. "I fell down…" Ayce frowned and in one swoop, picked the girl up and carried her in the RV. "Come on, we'll get that fixed up."

Ayce sat her on a little table inside and grabbed a rag, wetting it a bit and wiping the blood off Sophie's knee. The girl winced a bit, but didn't complain. As, she cleaned it with water and peroxide, Ayce tried to talk with the girl. "So how old are you?" Sophie gave a small smile and answered softly. "I'm 10." Ayce nodded at this and grinned. "I remember 10… It was the year I first rode a horse, and the year my father taught me to hunt…"

Ayce frowned briefly, memories of her dad coming back to her. She shook her head, not wanting them to distract her at the moment.

Sophie grinned, then looked sheepish, as if she wanted to ask something. Ayce laughed at this and gently placed a Band-Aid over the scrape. "What is it, sweetie?" Sophie frowned now, but asked her question. "What was your daddy like?"

Ayce blinked, surprised at the question, and the fact it was coming from a ten year old. She thought back, her mind going to Ed, and she instantly felt a pang of sorrow. _Poor kid…Doesn't even know if that's how a dad is supposed to be…_

Ayce hopped on the table next to her and stared out the open window. "Well, my real father was a good man. He could do anything and everything, and loved my mother with all his heart. He loved me and Analyn as well, and tried to teach me everything he knew." She paused for a moment before continuing, "My step dad was a different story. He wasn't a very good man, and didn't treat my mother right." She slid off the table and looked the girl in her eyes. "Your daddy wasn't a very good man, either. But you already knew that, didn't you?" Sophie nodded, and Ayce continued. "He was never supposed to lay a hand on your momma, or you, okay? And none of it was your fault." Sophie threatened to tear up, but kept it in check and nodded. She smiled, and Ayce led the way back outside.

Sophie ran off to her mother, and everyone went to their respective vehicles. Analyn gave her a quick hug before climbing into the RV. She followed Daryl as he walked by, jogging to walk beside him. "So what are we doing?"

He slung his leg over his motorcycle and rested his hands on his thighs. She stayed with her feet planted on the ground, not wanting to trust the death machine he called a bike.

"Well, Dirty Mistress finally convinced Rick to go to Benning, so that's where we're headed. Now, are ya gonna ask questions all day, or are we gonna get going?" He grinned at his little nickname for Shane.

Ayce bit her lip and hesitated before climbing on behind him. The other vehicles had already left, and she placed her hand on his sides loosely. He chuckled and grabbed her hands, bringing them around his abdomen to grip his waist. "Yer gonna have to hold tighter than that, Blondie."

Ayce rolled her eyes and buried her face in his back, muttering. "Whatever, Cowboy. Let's just get going…"

Daryl laughed and brought the motorcycle to life. Ayce resisted the urge to yelp as the bike jerked forward, causing her to tighten her grip. Daryl raced over the pavement to catch up to the caravan, reaching them in less than 5 minutes.

By now, Ayce's eyes were squeezed shut and her arms were like a death grip. Not that Daryl seemed to mind. Her arms were already tinged pick from the wind, and she knew she had to invest in a thick jacket soon.

The caravan reached what seemed to Ayce to be a graveyard. Hundreds of cars and the like were all over the highway, flipped over, abandoned, or littered with corpses.

Daryl slows the bike to a crawl, slowly leading the team through the wreckage. Ayce tried not to look around and see the death everywhere, but she couldn't help it. All these people, all trying to live, never knowing that they never stood a chance. A man in the driver's side of a Chevy, a woman in the passenger side of a big black truck. Two kids, eternally locked in an embrace, each frozen in a protective position.

_They were trying to save each other…_

Ayce looked away as the tears welled up and rested her forehead against Daryl's back. Just as she though that it didn't get much worse than this, a sound startled her from behind. She twisted around to see that the RV had stopped and was smoking. She tapped Daryl on the shoulder. "Hey turn around," he called to him over the bike's loud engine. "Something's up with the RV."

He nodded and obliged.

Everyone had piled out of the RV and the Cherokee to inspect what had gone wrong. "If you can't find a radiator hose here..." Shane pointed out, drawing Ayce's attention. The blond had been favoring her bow, watching the highway for walkers as everyone tried to fix their little problem. The group surveyed the potential supplies they could gather from the abandoned cars along the highway.

"We could siphon more fuel from these cars, for a start," said T-Dog. "Maybe some water?" Carol asked. Lori was quick to point out that this traffic snarl is a graveyard, as Ayce had thought earlier. "I don't know how I feel about this," she said slowly, as the group looked to one another for a sign. Silently, they agreed the supplies are most important, and Shane announced, "Gather what you can, y'all."

Ayce rolled her eyes at Lori, who frowned in return. Ayce still didn't like the woman, and it seemed Analyn didn't either. Ayce had been told of the little love triangle she created, and it was only going to bite her in the ass later.

Ayce looked at Analyn, ready to tell her to stay here, but it seemed she didn't need to. Her sister was content with following Andrea around like a puppy. Ayce's eyes narrowed. Something was going on there, but she wasn't sure what.

Ayce turned and moved slowly along the highway. It wouldn't be hard to find supplies, but it wasn't on her list of priorities. She had something more specific in mind.

And then she saw it.

A large truck sat off to the side, driver's door handing open. But that wasn't what drew her attention. It was the decal stickers on the back window. The lettering was toxic green, and almost slime-like. Even through the dirt and blood, she could see the decals that had been added to that, looking like bloody handprints. The words said 'ZOMBIE KILLER'.

Ayce chuckled and shook her head. "Thank God for rednecks…" She eased her way over to the truck, peering though the open door. A body was sprawled out in the passenger seat, dried blood caking the side of it neck and matting its hair to the side of it face. Its head leaned against the window, facing away from Ayce. Its left arm was almost non-existent, and the shirt it wore had definitely seen better days.

Ayce set her bow on the pavement and hopped into the driver's seat, reaching across the body to open the door. Her intention had been to push it out of the truck, but she hadn't been counting on it turning to face her. She gasped and raised her arms to protect herself, managing to hold it off so it could bite her. The walker lunged at her, pushing her back against the seat and hovering above her. She searched franticly, trying to find anything to help her. The walker was strong for a dead person. It pushed closer, chomping its teeth together. It let out a noise that wasn't quite a growl or a scream, spraying Ayce's face with blood.

As it went to close the last few inches between them, a whizzing noise was heard, and the next thing she knew, the body collapsed on her. She took a second to catch her breath before shoving it to the floor of the truck. Ayce rolled sat up and backed out of the truck, tripping over her feet. She fell back, but instead of hitting pavement, she hit something more solid. An arm wrapped around her waist, steadying her. An arrow stuck out of the walker's head, and she knew instantly who had come to save her.

Ayce turned quickly, throwing her arms around Daryl's neck and holding him close. Her voice was shaky, but she paid it no mind. "Oh, my gosh, thank you…" He remained still for a second, not really knowing what the hell to do. He used his free hand to return her hug with an tentative pat on her back.

"Mkay, Blondie. I get it. Yer grateful. Ya can let go now…"

Ayce blushed and removed herself. She kept her eyes as he surveyed the truck.

"So whatcha got here?" he said, pointing towards the vehicle.

Ayce grinned and walked over to it, pointing at the decals. "Zombie apocalypse fanatics." She boosted herself into the bed of the truck and began to search around. "There were people everywhere who were convinced it would happen someday, so they stocked up on supplies, bought weapons, and made plans. I guess these people didn't have a good enough one."

She came to a tarp that had once been silver, but was now covered with dirt. She pulled it off, and her face lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Jackpot!" Daryl gave her an odd look before climbing into the back with her.

There were black duffle bags, all with the words 'Zombie Apocalypse Response Team' printed on them in white. Daryl laughed at this before opening one. His face mirrored Ayce's. "Well damn!" He looked upon the many guns in the bag. Hand guns, automatics and a few shotguns. Ayce grabbed the one closest to her. She was greeted with canned food. There had to be at least six or seven bags in there.

Ayce glanced up, and her blood froze. A hoard of walkers was on its way.

Daryl pushed Ayce onto her back and covered her body with the tarp. "Stay here. I gotta warn people." Ayce nodded and closed her eyes, concentrating on breathing. The truck shook, telling her know that Daryl had left.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't quite catch her breath. The idea that she was surrounded, trapped like an animal, wouldn't allow her to. Soft moans and growls were heard all around. She didn't hear screaming, so that was a plus. The truck rocked again. Opening her eyes, she found that she was still alone. Ayce sat up, keeping the tarp against her for the most part, and looked around. She almost screamed.

If there were a single place possible for someone to lean against the truck, it was covered by a walker. They crowded around the bed of the truck, all reaching out for her. Each one disgusting in its own way. She tried not to panic, and in her clear thinking, she remembered the bounty that she had discovered not moments ago. Staying in her spot, she blindly reached over for a black back. In it, she found more food. Cursing, she tossed it aside and reached for another. In it, she found knives. It wasn't what she was looking for, but it would do.

She slowly stood, as to not fall over the side or get grabbed, and carefully angled herself to drive the blade into the closest walker's skull. With a small grunt, she pulled it free of the bone and went after the next one. Soon, she had a nice little pile and no more walkers. She sighed and wiped the gore on the tarp.

"Well that was fun…" she muttered.

A commotion over with the others caught her attention. She hopped from the bed of the truck and searched for her bow, finding it under the vehicle. _Walkers must have kicked it under…_ She took off towards the RV, wanting to know what the deal was. What she found was a shock.

Analyn came towards her, arms outstretched. She was covered in blood. Ayce's mind went blank.

"Ayce. Hello, snap outta it."

The eldest blonde sighed and ran to meet the girl, wrapping her in her arms.

"Oh my gosh, Analyn. You nearly gave me a heart attack. Are you hurt? Whose blood is this?"

Analyn smiled at her sister's antics. "A walker got in the RV. Almost got me and Andrea, but she killed it." Analyn frowned and looked worried. "Um, also, the walkers found Sophia. Chased her down the slope. But it's okay! Rick went after her!" She almost yelled the last two statements, mainly cause Ayce looked sick at the mention of the walkers getting the little girl.

They all walked over to where Carol was franticly pacing and Lori was trying to calm her down. Dale was tending to T-Dog while Glenn, Shane, and Daryl watched the forest. Rick emerged after a while, without Sophia. Carol collapsed on the ground, sobbing.

Ayce was the first to approach Rick. "Where the hell is she?" she growled. Rick looked apologetic and sighed, his eyes begging for forgiveness. "I did find her, but there were walkers. I told her to hide while I led them off, and to head back if I didn't come back. I went back, but she was gone…"

Ayce clenched her fist, the other occupied by the bow. Before her mind could even register that she was about to punch him, a hand closed around her arm pulling her back. She turned, expecting to meet Analyn's gaze, but found Daryl's. He was just as upset as she was. What confused her is how he knew she was going to attack before she did. He gave a small shake of his head, and she relented.

She turned back to Rick, not trying to hide the venom in her voice. "Okay, _Great Leader_, what are _you_ gonna do about this?"

*PAGE BREAK*

Ayce cursed under her breath as they trampled through the foliage. It was like being back in the forest again with her family, only Lilith wasn't here, Analyn had stayed with Andrea, and they were looking for a missing girl. A lot had changed in such little time for them.

The little search party, consisting of Shane, Rick, Daryl, Glenn, and Ayce, arrived at their destination. Rick pointed to an area that was roots and weeds. "This is where I left her." Shane looked indifferent and cast glances around the area. "Yea, well, maybe she didn't understand your directions. She's a kid." Rick narrowed his eyes, as it was clear his friend was questioning him. "She understood me fine." Shane nodded his head. "We're gonna find her."

As it was Rick who led them there, it was now Daryl and Ayce's turn. They took the head of the group, tracking Sophia's trail. Daryl did most of the tracking, while Ayce helped and kept watch. Both had their bows loaded, whereas Ayce would still have to draw it back and aim, all Daryl had to do was shoot.

Rick was correct. "She was followin' yer directions just fine," he stated. "But she went the other way right here. Somethin' must have spooked her."

Shane and Glenn left to meet back up with the caravan, leaving Ayce, Rick, and Daryl to search more for the missing girl.

The three spread out a bit, trying to cover more ground. It wasn't long Ayce's little bit of quiet was disturbed.

"So what was that back there?"

Ayce sighed and turned, recognizing the Southern drawl anywhere.

"What do you mean?"

Daryl shrugged and walked beside her. "I don't know. Ya just seemed kinda protective over the girl."

"Aren't we all?"

Silence.

She sighed and kept searching the trees, but answered his question. "She's just like Analyn,"she said softly. "She grew up with an abusive dad, but never really had to take any of the hits because the older women took them for her. Carol took them for Sophia. Sophia wonders why daddy always hit mommy, ad over time, she grew to think it was her fault. She just like Analyn."

Daryl said nothing for a bit, his words low with an emotion Ayce couldn't place when he finally did.

"And…Who took them for Ana?"

Ayce squeezed her eyes shut and said nothing. She didn't want to tell him. Hell, she wasn't even sure why she told him that little bit. She didn't know him. She couldn't honestly say she didn't trust him, because that would be a lie. For some odd reason, she trusted the temperamental redneck.

"Got it!"

Ayce jumped and opened her eyes. Daryl had found her trail again. She breathed a sigh of relief, not sure if it was because they found it, or because she didn't have to answer him now.

They stumbled across a walker, which Ayce quickly shot with a well aimed arrow. As she cleaned the weapon, they went to gut the zombie. Rick brought out his knife and begins to cut, but is halted by Daryl, who takes out his own blade. "I got it." Rick gave him a questioning look, and Daryl smirked. "Mine's bigger." Ayce snorted, almost choking on her laugh.

She threw a condescending look over her shoulder. "Suuuure it is…" Daryl gave her a dirty look, but went back to zombie chopping.

They concluded that this walker did not eat Sophia.

*PAGE BREAK*

Ayce ascended the slope up towards the rest of the group, many questions running through her head.

Where was the missing child? If that walker didn't get her, did a different one? Why the hell does Daryl all of a sudden give a shit? Not just about the girl, but about Ayce as well… It was a mystery to the blonde. And speaking of mysteries, why was Analyn glued to Andrea's hip ere recently?

While the other two went to talk to Carol, Ayce found her sister. Analyn wrapped her arms around herself. "You didn't find her." It wasn't a question, more like a statement. Not accusing them, merely saying the obvious.

Ayce shook her head and hugged the other blonde, taking a deep breath. "She's a lot like you, ya know?" she whispered into her shoulder. "Blaming herself for her abusive father, but still this ball of sunshine. A ray of light in all the crap. I can't help but think 'What if it were Analyn out there, missing?'" Ayce sniffed and blinked away unshed tears and pulled away from Analyn. "Ana… She's all alone out there." Her voice cracked with this stamen, and Analyn pulled her back for another hug. "Shh, it's okay. I know we'll find her, and everything will be okay."

Ayce nodded, but still wasn't convinced.

*PAGE BREAK*

Ayce groaned and stretched her stiff limbs. It hadn't been all that comfortable sleeping in the RV at the table. As it was, the tents were still packed away for when they found a better place, and Daryl didn't have his truck anymore, so her options were limited.

She grabbed her back and snuck away to the bathroom, not wanting to wake the other people who were sleeping. She pulled out a pair of torn blue jeans and a black T-shirt and pulled them on with her boots. Ayce grinned as she pulled out her bracers.

They were tan, and very durable, but then again, they had to be to protect her arms from the bow string. She had just about perfected the art of not getting hit with the string, but she failed half the time, and her arm had just about had it. Analyn was right, though. She did do a good job of fixing them.

She laced them onto her arms and pulled her wavy locks into a low ponytail. She grabbed the bag and stuffed her sleep clothes into it before emerging from the bathroom. It seemed that in the short time she was in there, everyone had woken and congregated outside. She traded her bag for her bow and quiver, and headed outside.

Rick passed out guns, noticeably skipping over Andrea. The stubborn woman didn't like this one bit and demanded her gun back. Everyone seemed to agree that this wasn't a good idea. Ayce almost laughed. "Hun, they don't want you to go suicidal again and blow your brains out." Andrea turned to Ayce slowly, a look of rage on her face. "Who do you think you are? What do you know?" Ayce raised an eyebrow and gripped her bow in one hand while the other settled on her hip. "I know that you're throwing a tantrum because you aren't getting what you want, and that you're still wallowing in self pity over Amy."

Andrea froze, the words bring tears to her eyes. But it wasn't her who got in her face because of it. It was Analyn.

"Ayce Delany! I cannot believe you!" she yelled. Ayce took a step back, shocked at the venom in her words and the tone of her voice. "She just lost her sister, the same as we did! You can at least show some understanding." Ayce got over her shock quickly, regaining the lost step. "I do understand. But at least I'm not dragging everyone else down in my sorrow and getting put on Suicide Watch!"

Rick and Dale stepped between the two sisters then. Rick grabbed Ayce by the shoulders. "Ayce, we don't need to be fighting…again. Especially with family."

Ayce nodded, but the death glare never left her face. She shook her head and stalked off towards the railing where they would cross to enter the woods again and waited.

*PAGE BREAK*

Ayce and Analyn didn't speak during the search. Ayce stayed close to Daryl, who didn't say anything really, but knew he didn't have to. She just needed the company, and she liked his. Analyn, unsurprisingly, stuck to Andrea.

The search was a dud. All that was found was a campsite, but the person there was already dead, and there was no sign of Sophia. As the search went on, they grew more and more disheartened. The hopes picked up, however, when the sound of church bells reached their ears.

The bells sounded, causing Ayce to jump slightly. Daryl cast an amused look, while she looked embarrassed that something like that could startle her. The group rushed forward, Daryl with his crossbow ready, Ayce with an arrow pulled back, and everyone else with guns.

The church they sound was kind of small, and had no steeple. Shane was the first to voice this. "No, it's all wrong. No steeple…"

They all headed inside anyway, killed the walkers there. Ayce suck up one side, releasing her arrow into what may have been an altar boy, but she wasn't sure.

Shane said it again, and Ayce closed her eyes, the frustration becoming too much. "Yes, Shane, we get it. Wrong church," she snapped. He looked like he wanted to say something, but it was cut off by the bells sounding again.

They ran outside, Glenn finding the automatic bell on the side of the building. He shuts it off quickly, and everyone disperses. Ayce didn't wait to see where everyone went off to. She headed around the side of the church and stepped into the woods.

She reveled in the sounds of the life around her. It was a comfort, with all the death floating everywhere.

SNAP

She turned around, drawing back he arrow as she did so. Daryl quickly leaned to the side and held up his hands in surrender. "Hey! Just me." Ayce lowered the weapon and looked back at the woods. She didn't have to see him come up beside her; she could feel his heat replace the chill of the air.

It didn't take long for him to speak. "So, what's up with ya lately?"

Ayce snorted. "What are you talking about?"

Daryl stopped staring at the forest and faced her. "Ya know what. You were a bitch earlier to Andrea- not that she didn't deserve it- and ya yelled and yer sis, and now yer snapping at Shane? Let's not forget trying to hit Rick yesterday. What's up with ya?"

Ayce grimaced and set her bow down beside her, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I don't know, Daryl. I just… I want to find this girl. I can't let her die out here." She turned to face him, her crystal eyes shining with unshed tears. "I keep hearing over and over again, 'What if it were Analyn? What if it were Lilith?'"

Her voice cracked with emotion, and she quickly went to wipe away the tears. But he beat her to it. His calloused hand wiped away the tears that fell ever so gently, which took her by surprise. Someone like him was expected to be rough with everything they did. But he was gentle.

At that thought, she took in everything. His close proximity, then gentle hand, his understanding look, the isolation…

She shook her head and took a step back, grabbing her bow as she went. "Come on. They're probably ready to go." She left him looking confused and, if she didn't know any better, disappointed.

She refused to think any more on the strange feelings he gave her.

Everyone gathered outside. It became apparent that the light was fading, and they would have to give up then to make it back in time. Rick, however, states that he's staying. "I'm not ready to give up yet." Shane doesn't look to happy about it, but he stays with Rick. The, shockingly, Carl wants to stay too. Lori protests, but is cut off by her son. "She's my friend," he said, and Lori agreed to let him stay.

Ayce narrowed her eyes and scoffed, something that didn't go unnoticed by Daryl. He gave her a questioning look, but she shook her head, implying that now was not the time to scold her for her foul mood.

Rick attempted to give Lori his gun, but she wouldn't hear of it. Instead, Daryl handed over one he found at the abandoned campsite. Andrea rolls her eyes, and THAT doesn't go unnoticed by Ayce. Her hand was itching to hit the woman, and by the look on Analyn's face, it was obvious. The younger sister glared at the huntress, making clear that now wasn't the time to go looking for a fight.

On their way back to the highway, Carol expressed her frustration that their search turned up no new leads on Sophia, and Daryl, too, didn't like that the group had been further split up.

Andrea chose that moment to attack Lori for carrying a gun when she'd been denied one for two days, and Lori handed it to her without a second thought. "You want it? I'm sick of the looks you're all givin' me."

She angrily told them to stop blaming Rick for what happened to Sophia, because no one else ran after her like he did. She told them she was tired of them mistrusting her family, and that any of them are free to leave any time they want. Feeling guilty, Andrea handed back the gun and the group continued back to the highway.

Ayce came up beside Analyn and gave her a look.

"Ya know, if there's something you need to tell me, I'll understand." Ayce had thought long and hard about her sister's actions, and had finally come to a conclusion. All she needed was for Analyn to say it.

The younger blonde cast a worried look at Andrea, who wasn't by her side for the first time in forever, and lowered her voice. "Ayce… I think I like her…"

Ayce nodded her head and gave her a side hug as they walked. "I know."

Analyn's eyes widened. "You do? Wait, does everyone? Does SHE?"

Ayce chuckled softly and shook her head. "No, I don't think she does, and I only know because I'm your family. Come on, you really think I wouldn't notice? And it's not like I think any less of you. You aren't and alien. You just happen to like something different. I like buff guys," her eyes flicked over to Daryl, who was walking in front of them, and continued. "And you like boobies. So what?"

Analyn blushed and smirked. "Don't think I didn't see that."

Ayce looked confused and asked "See what?"

Analyn wiggle her eyebrows suggestively and nodded at Daryl's retreating back. "You checkin' out the redneck."

Ayce gasped and lightly hit her sister's arm. "I was not!"

Daryl turned back to look at the siblings, the oldest having been very loud, before shaking his head and facing forward again. Ayce looked at the ground and focused on anything else, but Analyn broke her concentration. "Uh huh…Gotcha…." Ayce kept her gaze down, ignoring her sister, and ignoring the very red blush on her face.


	6. Chapter 6

**For starters, I want to give huge thank you to Sissymac for reviewing EVERY chapter so far. You really are a big inspiration for me. I might as well be writing this for you.**

**Also, I am not changing Analyn's name, as it is pronounced ANNA-lyn. I just didn't want to spell it Annalyn. And just in case, Ayce is pronounced ACE. **

**Also, I am so very sorry it has been so long, but hey! I'm out for Spring Break so hopefully, I'll be able to write more.**

**Inspirational Song: So Cold & Change My Ways by The Seeking**

Chapter 6

These things don't happen. They aren't accepted as reality. Cars don't just crash into houses and blow up, and burning people don't just walk around tearing chunks out of other humans.

Timmy peered out of the window blinds and sneered, the sounds of screams quickly spreading through the streets. "I'll tell ya what's goin' on. Folks are finally losin' it. Soon, the whole world is gonna go to shit. But that's okay, they can run around killin' each other for all I care. Well go stay at Luke's place til the police get everythin' sorted."

Ayce looked him over with disbelief. Analyn piped up then, saying "Do you honestly think it's going to be that simple? If it's going to shit like you say, then even Luke couldn't help us. Besides, we don't even know what the hell is going on out there."

Timmy turned slowly and narrowed his eyes. Ayce stepped forward reflexively before he had even raised his hand. He didn't even falter, not that it mattered to him _who_ he hit, so long as he hit something. Ayce's head snapped to the side from the force of the slap. She tasted blood, but didn't dare spit it onto the carpet. A soft, bitter chuckle escaped her as she turned to face him. She locked gazes with him while he sneered. "Don't question me girl." Somehow, she didn't think he was talking to Analyn.

He pointed up the stairs. "Now go pack." Ayce grabbed the other blonde's hand and drug her to the rooms and away from the crazy man. Their mother stayed off to the side, her eyes locked on the floor, not saying anything. Then again, she never did, so why should now be any different?

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"So, what was that 'bout? Seems like ya'll made up and stuff."

Ayce smiled to herself and glanced behind her at Analyn, who was currently walking with Lori and Carol. She nodded and turned her gaze to meet stormy blue eyes. "Yea, we did."

Daryl nudged her side and wiggled his eyebrows. "So, ya wanna let me in on the girl talk?" She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No. You wouldn't be interested. Unless you want to hear about how hot Shane is and how Lori's butt looks big." He chuckled at the over exaggerated sarcasm in her voice and shook his head. "No, yer right. I don't wanna know."

She eyed him and gave him a nudge back. "You're just jealous that we talk about the Dirty Mistress more than you."

He scoffed at this and took on a serious face. "Am not. Dixon's don't get jealous."

They continued to joke around and such, but were halted by Lori's concerns.

"You still worrying about it?" Andrea questioned.

"That was a gunshot," Lori answered, without looking back at them. "We all heard it," Daryl answered. "Why one? Why just _one _gunshot?" she asked. Daryl shrugged and looked off into the woods. "Maybe they ran into a walker," he suggested. Lori snapped at him. "Please don't patronize me. You know Rick wouldn't waste a gunshot to take down one walker. Or Shane," she added. "They'd do it quietly."

Carol chimed in then. "Shouldn't they have caught up to us by now?" Daryl brandished his crossbow, stating there was nothing they could do about it. "Can't run around these woods chasing echoes."

Lori looked at him with bewilderment. "So what do we do?" Ayce stepped in and sighed. "Same as we've been doing. Search for Sophia, and make our way back to the caravan."

Andrea nodded and smiled at Lori. "I'm sure they'll hook up with us back at the RV."

Lori seemed uncertain, but with one last glance at the trees behind them, she started walking again.

Carol didn't move, and Andrea was the one to say something first…again. "I'm sorry for what you're going through. I know how you feel."

Carol gave her a sad smile. "I suppose you do. Thank you."

Carol seems on the verge of tears as she looks away from the group. "The thought of her out here by herself… It's the not knowin' that's killin' me."

Ayce was by her side in a moment, patting her back and comforting her.

"Hey, it's okay. She'll be fine. Sophia is a strong girl. She's smart, and will find her way back to us." Carol sniffed, saying she just doesn't want her to end up like Amy. Ayce bit her lip and pulled the older woman to her, enveloping her in a tight hug.

Carol pulled away, noticing the look on Andrea's face and went to grab her hands. "Oh God. That's the worst thing I ever said." Andrea shook her head and hesitated before looking the older woman in the eye. "We're all hopin' and prayin' with you, for what it's worth."

Daryl stepped up and shook his head. "I'll tell ya what it's worth- Not a damn thing. It's a waste of time- All this hopin' and prayin'. 'Cause we're gonna locate that little girl, and she's gonna be just fine." He fixed Carol with a stern gaze, and he made it sound believable.

He stepped back and cast a glance at everyone. "Am I the only one Zen around here? Good Lord…" and sauntered off. Lori smirked behind his back, and Ayce stifled a giggle.

Ayce studied him carefully. It seemed that he was beginning to take all of this on a very personal level. She knew why it was important to herself, but why him? Another thing was that he had yet to say anything about his brother, which was odd. She knew it must be eating him inside. Unless… This search was a way to keep himself busy. A way to keep him from thinking about it and not breaking down. Maybe he thought that he could make up for his brother's disappearance by finding Sophia.

They continued on, no one really saying much. Everyone was too focused on searching for signs of Sophia and trying to get to the RV quickly. Daryl stayed up front, leading them, while Ayce kept to the side. At one point, Ayce noticed Analyn walk with Andrea, their hands brushing and secret glances shared between the two. Ayce grinned at her younger sister, glad that she could still find something that made her happy in all of this.

Ayce walked out a bit more, away from the group. Movement had caught her eye, and she followed. Her blue orbs narrowed to slits, the figure darting across her vision again. A squirrel…

A scream penetrated the silence like a steel knife to the stomach. Ayce whirled around to chase the sound, seeing Andrea pinned under a walker. She looked terrified, and Ayce couldn't blame her. She caught up to the group, her and Daryl running side by side, but she could tell they wouldn't get there on time. Even as all hope was lost, the sound of hooves reached her ears.

A caramel colored horse came galloping out of the trees, its rider promptly knocking the walker away with a bat. The rider, a woman with short brown hair, asks for Lori.

"Lori? Lori Grimes?"

Lori's eyes widen, and her voice shakes as she ran forward. "Yes?"

The woman puts her bat away and urgently addresses Lori. "Rick sent me. You've gotta come now." Lori's face twists into confusion. "What? She asked. "There's been an accident. Carl's been shot. He's still alive, but you've gotta come now." Lori hesitated, not sure of what to do, and slightly shocked. The woman waved to her impatiently. "Rick needs you. Just come." Lori nodded and goes to get on the horse. Daryl was quick to get in her way, disbelief etched all across his face.

"Whoa whoa whoa… We don't know this girl!" Lori ignored him as he followed after her. "You can't get on that horse." She said nothing as she got behind the brunette.

The impatient woman addressed the group now. "Rick said you had others on the highway, that big traffic snarl?" Glenn nodded to her question, dumbfounded. "Uh-huh…."

"Backtrack to Fairburn Road. Two miles down is our farm. You'll see the mailbox. The name Greene." Without another word, she urged the horse off, leaving them befuddled.

They stood still for a moment, the silence being broken by a wheezing sound. They all looked as the walker sat up, the baseball bat having only stunned it. Daryl walked by shooting it in the head, saying "Shut up." Ayce snorted, refraining from laughing outright.

They slowly started to make their way back to the caravan. Analyn sighs as she comes up beside Ayce. "That was stupid of her," Ayce growls. Analyn shook her head. "I agree, but if it were your child, what would you be doing?" Ayce laughed bitterly. "I would keep MY child at my side at all times. Not let him run off, getting into trouble and getting hurt."

Analyn stayed silent. She did agree; Lori needed to watch Carl better. Even if he was with his father and the family's best friend, a good mother would insist on keeping her child with her at all times, especially in this situation.

They climbed the steep incline up to the highway, where Andrea continued to ignore a concerned Dale. Ayce took pity on him and rested a hand on his shoulder. "She'll come 'round. And if not, I'll happily knock some sense into her," she said with a wink. Dale chuckled and sighed. "I just want her to know that I'm looking out for her. That she's not alone." Ayce nodded. "I'm sure she does know, she just needs time."

Ayce patted his back as everyone gathered to talk about planning.

"I won't do it. We can't just leave," Carol said, a look of defiance crossing her face. Dale propped his arm against the open RV door. "Carol," he said. "The group is split. We're scattered and weak." Carol looked at everyone in desperation. "What if she comes back and we're not here?" No one seemed to share her optimism on the subject. She fixed her gaze on Andrea. "It could happen." Andrea nodded and turned to the rest of the group. "If Sophia found her way back, and we were gone, that would be awful."

Daryl nodded his head. "Okay, he said, glancing at the ground in thought before addressing the group. "We gotta plan for this. I say tomorrow morning is soon enough to pull up stakes. Give us a chance to make a big sign," he said, indicating with his hands about how big. "We'll leave her some supplies." Carol seemed content with this, as opposed to simply leaving.

Daryl looked at Dale. "I'll hold here tonight, stay with the RV." Dale nodded, but claimed he was staying as well. Carol looked about ready to cry. "Thank you…Thank you both." Daryl nodded to her. Andrea shook her head, claiming she was in as well. Glenn stepped forward then. "If you're all staying, then I'm—"Ayce cut him off there before Dale could.

"No, Glenn. We're going." She nodded to T-Dog. "We're gonna take the Cherokee and get him some help." Glenn gave an exasperated laugh. "Me? What is it always me?" Ayce fixed him with a glare. "It's not always you. We have enough people here, so you, Analyn, and I are going to find this farmhouse. T-Dog will die if we don't."

Daryl walked off towards his bike as Analyn shook her head, stepping forward. "I'm not going." Confusion crossed Ayce's face as she shook her head as well. "What do you mean? Of course you're going with us." Analyn gave a small smile. "No, I'm staying here. It's not like you can make me. I'm over 18, not that it really matters anymore." Ayce had no response, but was saved when Daryl gave back with a huge bag of pills.

Ayce raised an eyebrow at the bag of drugs in Daryl stash. He raised his hands in a defensive manner and handed T-Dog a bottle. "Hey, they were Merle's, not mine."

Ayce frowned at this and tilted her head to the side as he tossed some bottles to Glenn and Dale before walking off.

Ayce frowned, turning back to Analyn as the group dispersed. "So, why aren't you going? I'm not really understanding. It's sheltered; safe. Probably out in the country, it being a farmhouse, so it's secluded. What's the issue?"

Analyn shifted her gaze to the woods and bit her lip. "I want to be here when Sophia comes back." Her eyes locked on to Ayce's, narrowed. "I thought you wanted to find her to. It seemed like you would die trying to find her."

The older sibling shuffled her feet. "I do want to, but my priority is you and your safety. You're right. I can't make you go, but I can make sure it's a safe place for you. So that's what I'm gonna do."

Analyn grinned and wrapped her arms around Ayce's middle. "I know you're trying your hardest, but you don't have to do it alone. These people are probably the best thing that has happened to us yet. They will help you in keeping me safe." She drew back and continued to smile. "And they will help _me_ to keep _you_ safe."

Ayce nodded and patted her sister's head. "Alright, Goldilocks. You be safe while I'm gone." Analyn frowned and swatted her hand away. "That's not fair. Goldilocks had curls. You're the one with the curls." Ayce grimaced, saying "I will flay you if you call me that." Analyn snorted and walked off towards the RV. "I can't. Your hair is way too white." She disappeared into the RV.

"So, you're going with them, ya?"

Ayce turned, her grin returning. "Yeah. T-Dog needs help, and if Glenn goes alone, he might have an aneurism. Just, do me a favor?" Daryl nodded, indicating for her to go on. "Keep an eye on my sister. I know she would be safe and not wander off, but she doesn't exactly know how to fight these things. She's good with a knife, but it may not be enough."

Daryl nodded, glancing at the RV. "Sure thing, Blondie. I'll keep a watch on her."

"Ayce, we're leaving."

The blonde jumped, startled from Glenn popping out of nowhere. "Alright, I'm coming." She hoisted her bow on her back and left, casting a 'See ya' over her shoulder as she climbed into the back of the Cherokee.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0oo0

The ride there was fairly boring for the three of them. Ayce discovered that Glenn delivered pizza in Atlanta before all this went down. In turn, Ayce told him of her being in collage for medicine and such. He found that rather nice, as it was always good to have a doctor in these situations. But Ayce was a far cry from a proper surgeon…

By the time they found the place, it was dark, on account of Glenn missing their turn. They parked the car a few yards from the house and took their time heading up the stairs. The atmosphere of the place seemed nice enough in Ayce's opinion. Nevertheless, they took small steps as they made their way to the door.

They stopped at the steps as Glenn turned to T-Dog, who was looking worse by the minute, and Ayce, who was genuinely worried for their friend. "So…Do we ring the bell? I mean, it looks like people live here…"

T-Dog gave him a 'Are you kidding me?' look. "We're past this kind of stuff, aren't we? Having to be considerate…" he said as he made his way up the bricked steps, Ayce following behind him closely.

Ayce spotted the woman in the chair, but judging by the way Glenn and T-Dog jumped when she spoke, they didn't. "Did you close the gate up the rode when you drove in?"

Glenn got the dumbfounded look on his face again, and all he could utter was "Uhh…hi." It took him a moment, but he finally answered her. "Yes, we closed it. Did the latch and everything." She leaned forward to look at them better, while Glenn seemed to get his bearings back together a bit. "Hello. Nice to see you again." She said nothing, which seemed to throw him again. "We, uhh, met before. Briefly."

T-Dog seemed to grow tired of listening to the flustered Asian, and interjected. "Look, we came here to help. There anything we can do?"

The woman stood and walked over to them, examining the gash on his arm. He seemed to read her mind as he confirmed that it wasn't a walker bite. "I cut myself pretty bad, though." She looked openly relived as she walked past them, giving Ayce a once over. "We'll have it looked at. I'll tell them that you're here."

Ayce stepped forward from where she had been leaning against the railing. "We have painkillers and antibiotics." Glenn scrambled for the drugs as she said this. "We already gave him some," she said, nodding to T-Dog. "If Carl needs any…"

The woman nodded. "Come on inside. I'll make you something to eat," she said as she opened the door for them to enter the house.

The house was everything Ayce expected from a farm house in the South. From its cream colored walls, to its floral décor. The woman led them to a room where an elderly lady sat. Going farther into the room, Ayce found Lori, Rick, and an older man. Carl lay on the bed.

Ayce gave out a small gasp as her hand rose to cover her mouth. She may not like Lori all that much, and Carl was annoying, but she didn't wish this on them.

Rick was the only one to speak, and even he seemed forced, only saying "Hey."

Glenn nodded. "Um, we're here, okay?" Ayce rolled her eyes. _'As if they couldn't already see that, genius…'_

Lori nodded as Rick placed his hands over his face. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Whatever you need…" T-Dog responded. They said nothing else, so the brunette ushered them out of the room. Ayce linger for a moment, locking eyes with Lori. She didn't say anything, but she knew she got her message across.

_I'm here if you need anything…_

Lori gave a small nod of thanks to her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The woman's name turned out to be Maggie. Very fitting for a country girl, in Ayce's opinion.

They now stood by as a blonde woman tended to T-Dog. "You got here right on time," she said as she made the stitches. "This couldn't go untreated much longer."

T-Dog grunted in pain and clenched his hand around Ayce's, who had offered it to him before the woman had started. She was sure it would be bruised later. With her free hand, she stroked his arm comfortingly, letting him know that it was almost finished.

The older woman read the prescription bottles and continued to stitch. "Merle Dixon. It that your friend with the antibiotics?"

Glenn shook his head. "No, ma'am. Merle's no longer with us. Daryl gave us those-His brother."

T-Dog snorted. "Not sure I'd call him a friend…"

"He is today," she stated, pulled the needle high to make another stitch. "This Doxycycline might have just saved your life." She glanced up at Ayce for a moment. "You know what Merle was taking it for?"

Ayce shook her head. "I never got the chance to meet him."

Glenn, however, gave a small laugh. "The clap." Maggie gave him a look, and he began to stutter. "Or, at least… That's what Daryl said…"

The blonde didn't laugh. "I'd say Merle Dixon's clap was the best thing to ever happen to you." T-Dog grimaced. "I'm really trying not to think about that." Ayce had to bite her tongue to not laugh. Glenn left the room quickly.

Once T-Dog was finished, Maggie left to find Glenn, and the other woman went to find something else to do. Ayce stretched her fingers out and rubbed her hand. Definitely going to bruise. He gave her an apologetic look. "Sorry 'bout that…" Ayce shook her head. "No, it's fine. I've had way worse." He gave a nod, but said nothing.

The sound of a vehicle reached Ayce's ears. She jumped and rushed to the front door, followed closely by everyone else. Shane was back. "Carl?" he asked, breathless. Rick nodded, taking a bag from him. "There's still time."

Hershel looked around before meeting Shane's gaze. "Otis?" Shane shook his head. "No…" Hershel and Maggie both looked like they wanted to cry and be mad at the same time. He looked around a bit, not knowing what to do or say. Finally, he came to some conclusion. "We say nothing to Patricia…Not till after. I need her." He stormed into the house

Sympathy gripped Ayce's heart. That sweet woman, who had helped them, lost a loved one…

Shane searched for the right words, but couldn't find them. Rick didn't give him a chance as he hugged him. Ayce studied him with a knowing look. They locked gazes, and she knew.

'_He killed him….'_

He looked away from her to Lori, who was too clouded with worry to see his shiftiness.

"They kept blocking us at every turn," he said to them. He was covering his tracks now… "We had nothing left. Down to 10 rounds. Then he said-he said he'd cover me. And that I should keep going. And I…I kept going. But I-"He took a moment, and Ayce almost believed his words. "I looked back and he-I tried." Lori and Ayce both put a comforting hand on Maggie, but while Lori was grief stricken, Ayce's eye narrowed. He was lying.

Rick placed a hand on his shoulder. "He wanted to make it right." Shane said nothing; He simply kept up his ruse as he shifted hi feet. Maggie began to cry, drawing Shane's attention. He met Ayce's eyes again, and once again, her mental message got across.

'_You can't fool me'_

Shane still his movement, and she could see the worry in his eyes.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Rick and Lori sat on the steps, Shane leaned against the truck, T-Dog in the rocking chair, and Ayce sat on the porch leaned against the railing, facing him. No one spoke.

Hershel and Patricia came out side, causing everyone to jump from their spots and gather. The snowy haired man grinned. "He seems to have stabilized."

Ayce didn't hear the rest of his words. Her gaze lowered to the floor before lifting over to Shane.

'_Otis died. But Carl lived. So…does that make him a hero? Or a murderer? Should I hate him, and out his secret? Or let him live with the guilt?'_

All of these questions ran through her mind at once.

Everyone went inside to either go see Carl or tell Patricia. Shane was the last to head in. Before he could even touch the door, Ayce reached out and grabbed his arm. She studied the ground as she felt his arm muscles tense. She hesitated, thinking about what to say. Her eyes lifted to his, and she gave a small smile.

"You are….very lucky." Her eyes narrowed for a split second. He jerked his arm away from her and said nothing, quickly going into the house. Ayce stayed where she was. Whoever Otis was, he didn't deserve whatever had happened.

She told herself then that she didn't have to worry about outing him.

'_It'll catch up to him…'_


	7. Chapter 7

**Alright people! Here's a new chapter. I wrote it all in like, a day. Hope you're happy.**

**Big thanks once again to Sissymac. You're awesome. Also, thank you RedAlyk for reviewing. It made me very happy.**

**I've been messing around with actually writing out the southern accent, mostly with Daryl, and I think it turned out okay… Let me know what ya'll think. We also get more of Ayce and Analyn's backstory. Yay!**

**Inspirational Song: Empty Sighs And Wine by Isles And Glaciers**

Chapter 7

Sleep did not visit any of the people at the farm. Patricia was too stricken with grief, and everyone else was worried about Carl. Ayce also was concerned with her sister's safety. She swore to shoot Andrea if her sister turned up harmed.

Ayce stayed up through the night, sitting on the porch. She opted to stay on the floor, leaning against the house. It gave her plenty of time to go through her memories.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ayce and Analyn stood facing each other, Analyn pressing a cold washcloth to her sister's face. A dark bruise had already formed on her cheek.

Analyn sniffed, holding back her tears. "Why? Why do you always step in the way? I'm not some weak priss. I can take a hit." Ayce shook her head and waved away the cloth. "I know that. But you shouldn't have to deal with his temper. Not like that. Besides," she said, placing her palm on her sister's cheek. "I'm the older sibling. I'm supposed to protect you."

Analyn nodded her head and wrapped her arms around Ayce's neck. After a few moments, Ayce moved away and began to throw clothes into a bag. "Pack something. I don't know what's going on out there, but we need to hurry up."

Analyn grabbed a bag from the closet and began tossing her own stuff in it. Once done, they bounded down the stairs. Timmy stood in the middle of the living room with their mother and youngest sibling. "Took ya long enough," he sneered.

Glass shattered before Ayce could reply. Figures covered in wounds and blood poured in through the broken window. Everyone yelled and screamed. The sound of tearing flesh filled the room as one of them grabbed their mom. Analyn reached for her, but was held back by Ayce.

"No! We can't do anything! Run!"

Lilith pushed past the both of them, making a beeline for the back door. Ayce and Analyn followed behind her, while Timmy brought up the rear. The four of them left the house all pausing to glance back once more. All but Ayce.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ayce gave a heavy sigh as she hefted the stone into wheelbarrows, doing as everyone else. Morning had come, giving them an opportunity to prepare for the rest of the caravan and Otis's funeral.

As it was, Ayce wasn't happy about it. She snuck a glance at Shane, who seemed miles away. She frowned, her rage boiling just below the surface. He had no shame, she knew.

_He's lying. I know it!_

Sounds of vehicles filled the empty air, and everyone turned their gaze to the road. Daryl led them on his motorcycle, followed by Andrea, and Dale's RV bringing up the back. A wide grin crossed Ayce's face as she watched them pull into the yard and in front of the house.

The RV door popped open, and out came a flurry of blonde hair and pale skin. It was a blur as it raced to Ayce, crashing into her.

"Ana! Oh, you're okay… You're okay, right?"

Ayce pulled her sister away to inspect her for injuries. The smaller blonde laughed a bit and waved her hands away. "Ayce, I'm fine. Nothing all that exciting happened."

Ayce breathed a sigh of relief and laughed. "That's good. That's really good."

Analyn nodded. "Yea. Daryl took your words to heart. Wouldn't let me go exploring with him and Andrea…" Ayce didn't miss the edge in her voice.

_She's jealous…_

Ayce grinned at this. _That's cute._

She looked over to where said redneck was watching them closely. _Thank you_, she mouthed. He replied with a nod.

The others emerged from the house and approached Dale. "How is he?" Dale asked.

Lori nodded her head, glancing at the ground. "He'll pull through," she said, a grin gracing her face. The woman's relief was obvious. "Thanks to Hershel and his people."

"And Shane," Rick voiced. Ayce's eyes narrowed at the mention of his name. The thoughts _Traitor_ and _Murderer_ ran through her head.

"We'd have lost Carl if not doe him."

The two embraced, as did Lori and Carol. "How'd it happen?" Dale questioned. Rick almost laughed. "Hunting accident. That's all- Just a stupid accident." Shane looked uncomfortable.

Everyone went about gathering more rocks and such. Ayce stayed as close to Analyn as possible. Being away from her for the night didn't sit well with Ayce, so she was determined not to leave her side for long. Her sense to protect her was going into overdrive. Analyn knew this, and said nothing of it. The younger sibling knew that because they had lost Lilith, Ayce would try even harder to keep her safe.

Analyn eyed her sister as she hefted rocks into the wheelbarrow. She had not yet talked about it. Not since the night at the CDC. It had only been a couple of days, and already, she acted like it hadn't happened. It made her worry. Ayce was strong, but it would eventually hit her like a ton of bricks. And when it did, the time may be oh so wrong, and end up putting them in trouble.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They all gathered around the memorial pile. They had stacked the rocks up to serve as a marker for Otis. All that was left was for people to add a rock and say some nice things.

Hershel did his biblical thing, which Ayce zoned out for. Not that she was disrespectful, she just wasn't religious. Then Shane stepped forward to tell his story.

Ayce tried to listen, she really did. Her own story came flashing to her, though, blocking out everything around her.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The four of them ran as fast as they could. Ayce kept close to Analyn as Lilith led them on. It was obvious what was going on. She had seen enough movies to know.

"Head for Joe's place. We'll be safe there." Her stepfather's words cut through her concentration. _Oh, you idiot. But then again, he has guns…. Among other weapons…_

Ayce nodded her head and grabbed Analyn's hand, dragging her forward. Various screams echoed around them, people running in the streets, acting like fools.

Joe's house loomed before them, the front door splintered and wide open. Ayce's heart thundered in her chest as they slowed down, coming up on the porch. Timmy burst past them and stumbled straight into the house, calling for his brother.

Ayce slowly made her way in, keeping Analyn close behind her. Shattered glass lay on the floor. A broken lamp in pieces in front of the fireplace. _I liked that lamp…_

Timmy looked around and sighed. "They aren't here…"

A strangled growl came from the kitchen. The blood froze in Ayce's veins as she turned her head towards the doorway. A choking gasp came from Timmy as they laid eyes on what was left of Uncle Joe. Blood poured from various wounds on his neck and stomach. An arm was missing, which Ayce could now see was still in the kitchen, and was being devoured by his wife.

Ayce backed away, pulling Analyn with her, her eyes searching for any sort of weapon. Another growl came from Uncle Joe. Her searching became frantic. As Joe lurched forward to grab at Timmy, her eyes fell on the fireplace. Pokers…

She lunged for the iron bar, feeling her fingers wrap around the handle as Joe grabbed Timmy by the neck. She raised it above her head with both hands and brought it down. Even after had fallen to the ground, Ayce didn't stop. Time after time, she felt his skull crack in a different spot. Timmy wrestled the poker from her and shoved her to the side. Lynda had come out to see what the commotion was about. She didn't last long.

Timmy nodded his head, looking around the living room. "Alright. Let's go to the police. They would tell us what the hell is going on."

Ayce looked at him with appall. "Are you really that stupid? You know what's going on. We can't go to the government. It won't be there."

Timmy got bright red in the face. "You dare question me, girl? I'm the adult here, and what I say goes. We're going to the police!"

Ayce's face twisted with furry as she opened her mouth to yell at him. She stopped a second later. It was like a light came on. Her face calmed and was passive. "Alright. You're right. Let's get Joe's things first, though. The police could probably use them." She turned to her siblings. "Go wait on the porch for us."

The two nodded their heads and walked out as Ayce and Timmy made their way through the kitchen and downstairs to the basement. Various guns were mounted on the wall, as well as knives and other weapons. Canned and died food sat on shelves. _He really did make this place a bunker…_

"I'll get the guns," she said. He nodded and went about stuffing food in a bag. Ayce wasted no time in loading a 9mm. Now, she was smart. She waited until he had packed the bag full and she had gotten the knives and had even selected a nice bow. As they grabbed their individual bags, she grabbed the gun. He turned to the steps. Ayce took the safety off and cocked the gun. He froze at the sound of the click.

As he turned to face her, she placed her finger on the trigger. "You can't keep them safe. You make horrible decisions and will end up getting them killed. We can't go to the police."

He tried to look unafraid, but Ayce could see that he was terrified. "You can't kill me, Ayce. I'm family."

Ayce shook her head. "No. You're the man that would hit my mother and me. You are the man that made my life, and Analyn's life, a living hell these past few years. And it ends now." Her eyes went cold, and he knew it.

"Wait. Ayce. Don't do anything stupid. Be reason-"

His words were cut off as the bullet went through his head.

Ayce wasted no time in stuffing the gun in the waistline of her jeans on her hip and running forward. She tossed his bag over her shoulder, somehow heaving it along with the bow, the arrows, and other weapons. As raced up the stairs and ran into the kitchen, meeting Analyn and Lilith halfway.

"Where's Dad?!" Lilith shouted. Ayce didn't answer as she shoved them both for the door. "Go! To the woods!"

"No! Where's my dad?!"

Ayce gave her another shove towards the back yard. "Move!" was her only answer.

The world around them broke out into chaos as they broke through the tree line. They would stay in those woods for the next month.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A hand came down on her shoulder, breaking her from her thoughts. She jumped and looked to her right, meeting Analyn's worried eyes. "What?" she asked. Analyn tilted her head to the side. "Are you okay?" she asked. Ayce nodded her head. "Yea, I'm good. Just thinking. Remembering."

Analyn gave her a strange look and walked away, saying something about helping Beth. Ayce stared after her. Even now, Analyn was under the impression that Timmy was attacked by a zombie in the bunker.

Ayce walked towards the group that had gathered around a vehicle. Hershel, Rick, Andrea, Shane, and Daryl were trying to look for Sophia more. She came up beside Hershel as Maggie came up with a map.

"County survey map," she said as she spread it out on the hood. "Shows terrain and elevations." Rick grinned and his finger tip pressed on the map. "This is perfect," said Shane. "We can finally get this thing organized."

Rick stared at the map, then looked around at the people there. "We'll grid the whole area, start searching in teams."

Hershel shook his head. "No you. Not today. You gave three units of blood. You wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out." He turned his attention to Shane. "And your ankle- Push it now, you'll be laid up a month and no good to anybody."

Daryl leaned forward to study the map. "Guess it's just me. I'm gonna head back to the creek, work my way from there."

Shane frowned. "I can still be useful. I'll drive up to the interstate, see if she wandered back there."

Ayce frowned and place her hand on the map, drawing their eyes to her. "I may be a woman, but I can guarantee you, I'm as good as any guy. I can help." She pointed to the creek. "If Daryl works this side of it, it can go to the other. Get more ground covered."

Daryl frowned and shook his head. "No way in hell."

Ayce narrowed her eyes and placed a hand on her hip. "And why not? I don't remember asking for your permission."

He glared at her and pointed off in Analyn's direction. "That's why. She needs ya. She needs ya not ta get killed or lost or worse."

Ayce opened her mouth to retort, but was cut off by Rick. "Alright, that's enough. Daryl, we need all the help we can get. If she wants to help, I can't say no."

Daryl said nothing.

Rick nodded. "Alright," he said. "Tomorrow then. We'll start doing this right."

"That means we can't have our people walking around with just knives," said Shane. "They need the gun training that we've been promising."

Hershel didn't like this, it seemed. "I'd prefer you didn't carry guns on my property. We've managed so far without turning this place into an armed camp."

"All due respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering around here…"

Rick shook his head, cutting off Shane. "Look, we're guests here. This is your property, and we will respect that," he said, looking Shane in the eye as he took out his pistol. Shane waited a moment before grudgingly placing his down as well.

"First things first. "Make camp, find Sophia."

"I hate to be the one to ask, but somebody has to. What happens if we find her and she's bit? I think we should all be clear on how we handle that."

Rick eyes Shane. "You do what has to be done."

Maggie, whom Ayce had forgotten entirely, spoke up, looking appalled. "And her mother? What do you tell her?"

Andrea answered. "The truth."

Shane grabbed the pistols. "I'll gather and secure all the weapons." Ayce glanced up from the map that she had been studying, not missing the small shake of Hershel's head. Her eyes narrowed. There were too many secrets here…

"I'll make sure no one's carrying till we're at a practice range off site. I do request one rifleman on lookout. Dale's got experience." Hershel didn't speak. Rick noticed his discomfort with the idea. "It would make our people feel safer, less inclined to carry a gun." Hershel nodded as Ayce walked away from the car.

She didn't make it but a few yards. A rough hand grabbed her arm and pulled her back. "What the hell do ya think yer doin'?" Ayce grimaced, knowing this conversation was unavoidable. "I want to help, Daryl. I want to find this little girl. I want to get her safe, and back to her mother."

He shook his head. "I can do that. Ya should worry more 'bout yer own family. That girl," he said pointing again at Analyn. "She wouldn't make it without ya. She needs ya. I can do this on ma own."

Ayce stared at the ground for the longest time. She stepped forward, standing toe to toe and meeting his eyes, almost like a challenge. "I'm going. You can't stop me. That's final." She stood there for a moment longer, letting her words sink in, letting his hear the underlying challenge.

She knew she had won when stepped back and stormed off.

0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0

"So, you're telling me that you're gonna go traipsing off into the woods to look for that little girl? You do realize how dangerous that is?" Ayce sighed and shuffled her feet impatiently. "Yes, I do. Look, Analyn, I'm not asking for your say-so. I'm telling you. Don't worry about me."

The blonde was quiet for a moment. She nodded her head. "Okay," she said, pulling her into a hug. "Just be careful."

Ayce nodded and took off. She spot Daryl off in the distance, walking away from Rick. She approached the former sheriff. "Hey, I'm gonna head out."

He nodded his head and met her eyes. "I was just sayin' this to Daryl. Ya'll don't have to do this anymore." Ayce smiled softly and patted her shoulder. "Yes, Rick. I do have to. I need to find her. I need to save-"she halted her words, holding back her emotions. "I just need to find her."

He gave her a sympathetic look. "Look, if this is about Lilith-"

"No, stop right there. Lilith has nothing to do with this. She dead, gone. Sophia isn't. I can still save her."

She stalked off towards the woods, watching as Daryl disappeared into the trees.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ayce leaned against a nearby tree, pausing to rest and listen to the things around her. The animals rustled about and clamored around. This told her that she was relatively alone. They tended to go silent when the walkers were around.

When the tree began to dig into her back, Ayce decided it was time to get moving again. She moved through the foliage, brushing past leaves and limbs. Something white flashed ahead of her. Upon getting closer, she found a house in a clearing. She kept her fingers on the end of her arrow, ready to draw back and fire at a moment's notice.

The house itself looked as if no one had been around for quite some time. Like they had left when all of this began. Ayce kicked in the door as to not remove her hand from the arrow. A quick look around told her it was empty.

A quick walkthrough told her two things. Sophia had been here, and she had was alive. She hadn't been there for a while, but it was something. Ayce came to a set of stairs and slowly made her way up them.

Three rooms. First bedroom was the master, belonging to the parents. They seemed to be the organized type, with neat drawers and a made bed. Cream colored walls with tan carpeting. Off-white bed set. Very simple.

The next room belonged to a daughter, a teenager if the pictures of actors and boys were any indication. CDs cluttered a shelf, mostly pop and dance music. Books on another shelf, mostly teen romance that had to do with vampires and werewolves and a few mysteries. The walls were green, while the carpet and bedspread were teal. The bed wasn't made.

The last room knocked the breath out of Ayce. It was a nursery. Light pink walls and white curtains greeted her. A white wooden crib sat in a corner with a throw rug on the opposite side of the room. Toys sat around the area collecting dust. Baby books sat neatly on a small white shelf on the wall. Butterfly decals decorated the walls.

Ayce closed the door and pressed her back against the wall in the hall. She tried hard to hold back the tears, but one slipped past. Then another. Next she knew, they wouldn't stop.

Her bow lay forgotten at her side as she placed a hand over her mouth and closed her eyes. These people were a family. They were a couple. They had two daughters. And their lives were uprooted by this horrible thing. They were probably dead now. All of them.

Ayce took in a deep breath and calmed herself. A noise came from downstairs, halting her movements. She stared down the hallway and rose to her feet, keeping her back against the wall and grabbing her bow. Her footsteps were light as she made her way down the stairs and into the living room. Whatever it was, it was rummaging around the kitchen. Ayce steeled herself and pulled the arrow back as she pressed her back against the wall next to the doorway. She turned quickly, pointing the arrow at the figure. She came face to face with a crossbow. Neither person spoke for a long while as they both caught their breath.

Ayce broke the silence. "What the hell are you doing? This is my area." She lowered the bow and carefully released the tension in the string.

Daryl lowered his weapon and ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "I don't think so. This is ma side of the water. Didn't ya check the map?"

Ayce sighed and placed a hand on her hip, her eyes drifting to the fridge. "No. I didn't. Rick kinda distracted me, and I took off without asking." Pictures and such cluttered the metal of the fridge. Birthday pictures, a baby in a walker, wedding photos, a prom picture. They all looked happy.

Daryl looked off towards the pantry. "She was here at some point." Ayce sighed and leaned against the doorframe. "Yea… Probably hasn't been here for a while though. Not today, anyway."

They were silent for a while. After a few minutes, Ayce chanced looking away from the spot on the floor she had been scrutinizing. Daryl's own eyes were fixed on her. She absentmindedly thought that the color reminded her of a storm. Blue like the water, yet grey like the clouds.

"What?" she asked.

"Ya okay?"

Ayce was confused for a moment, but even as she remembered that she had been crying just minutes ago, she denied feeling bad. "Yea, I'm good."

He raised a brow, but remained silent.

Ayce stepped away from the doorframe and headed for the door. "She isn't here. I'm gonna look around outside and maybe head back. It's getting late."

Daryl stayed quite as she left.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Nigh came quickly back at the farm. Ayce decided during dinner that while she was searching for Sophia, she would hunt was well to help everything stretch. Now that they had eaten and gotten camp set up, she and Analyn sat close by the fire. Her keen eyes didn't let her miss Lori sneaking off.

"I'll be right back," she told Analyn. She younger simply nodded her head.

As she darted though the dark, she wondered what in the world this woman was up to. She knew it wasn't her business what she did, and for all she knew, she was going to meet Shane. But Ayce knew for a fact that both Shane and Rick were in the house.

She caught up to the brunette and took her arm. "Where are you going? It's dangerous out here."

Lori looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I-I was just checking-um, going to the…the bathroom?"

Ayce raised an eyebrow and almost smiled. "The bathroom's that way," she said, pointing to the house.

Lori fumbled with an object in her hand. A questioning look made her hand it over. Ayce eyes went wide as she looked back at Lori. "Please don't say anything."

Ayce shook her head.

"Thank you."

"Um…I'll keep watch for you…If you want." A moment of silence. "Sure."

They walked off into the dark for more privacy. Silence followed as Ayce kept an eye on the camp and Lori did her thing. "30 seconds…" came a whisper. Ayce nodded even though the woman couldn't see her. She waited those agonizing seconds.

A muffled sob came from behind her and dread filled Ayce's stomach. "Lori?" No answer, just more sobs. Ayce came around to where she sat and took the pregnancy test from her, examining the little stick. A plus sign. Ayce gasped and met Lori's gaze.

She looked so desperate and hopeless. Ayce's heart broke for her. She gathered the older woman in her arms and let her cry it out. The only thing Ayce could think at the moment was the obvious.

Lori was pregnant.


	8. Chapter 8

**I know its been a long time, but I have very good reasons for that. My computer broke, and i finally got it fixed. Also, I no longer have Office Word. I am now doing this on Wordpad. I try to fix any typos I've made, but hey, no ones perfect.**

Song: Payphone by Crown the Empire

Chapter 8

Lilith and Analyn gasped for breath, placing their hand on their knees and stopping. Ayce frowned as she adjusted the strap on her shoulder. "Come on. We need to keep moving."

Lilith stood straight and grimaced, holding her side. "No. I'm not running anymore until you tell me what happened. We've been running for hours. We're well out of the city. What. Happened."

Ayce turned her back to her and surveyed the trees. She had to lie. Not just to Lilith, but to Analyn. She couldn't bare it if she saw her as a murderer. "We were down in the bunker when it happened. We didn't check it, we just went for the supplies. It was hiding in a corner. It grabbed him and slit his throat wide open. He couldn't even scream. I put a bullet through its head."

She waited to hear accusations of lying. When they didn't come, she sighed softly. "Come on."

The other two moved forward without a word.

Night fell. They made camp on a hill. It was more like a cliff with its steep drop off. They could see the city from where they were. A city going up in flames. It wasn't long before they came with the napalm. All three girls were terrified. As they clutched each other for comfort and warmth, Ayce made a silent promise to keep them both safe, no matter what.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A loud yawn came from Ayce as she sat up and stretched in her tent. She was alone now, and for that, she was grateful. With loosing members of the group and all, they had extra tents now, meaning Ayce could have one to herself now.

She grinned as she zipped up the windows to the tent. She had originally left them open and left the netting up to allow a breeze, but now, she needed to change. Blue jeans and a red dress shirt was her choice. For a moment, she pondered wearing shorts and a tank top, but shook her head. She would save that for a day she wasn't going into the woods, or as a last resort. She rolled up the sleeves on the shirt and picked up her bracers, lacing them on as she made her way out of the tent.

"Ah, there you are. Give me a hand?"

Ayce turned to the sound of the voice. Carol stood with a hand on her hip next to a pile of laundry. "I know you and Daryl have been lookin' for my little girl, and I'm grateful, but you could use some normalcy. And these clothes aren't gonna clean themselves."

Ayce pursed her lips, allowing a grin to eventually take over. She nodded her head and grabbed a basket, leaving Carol to collect another. The older lady talked as they went.

"Hershel said we could use the third well for washing things. He lent us a tub and…some sort of washing board," she said with a laugh. "Should be fun."

They filled the metal tub with water and added some lavender scented soap. Ayce gave it a long sniff, relishing in the smell of something that wasn't sweat or blood.

Carol saw this and grinned. "Glenn picked it up yesterday on the pharmacy run."

"Well, for a man, he has girly tastes."

Carol shook her head. "I agree, but I doubt he leans towards girly. You can't tell me you've missed the looks he shoots Maggie. Or the ones she sneaks at him."

Ayce had to laugh. The way Carol whispered about it made it sound like dirty gossip. It made her feel like she was in high school all over again.

"No, I'm not blind."

Ayce glanced around and leaned close to Carol. She got the message and leaned in as well.

"And have you noticed the tension between Shane, Lori, and Rick? Talk about a love triangle."

Carol nodded her head enthusiastically. "I know! You do know that Lori and Shane were together, right? Before Rick came back. I mean, they tried to be secretive, but everyone knew."

Ayce nodded her head. "I know…."

Carol nudged Ayce in the side. "And what about Ana? Have you noticed her clinging to Andrea? Not that I'm not understanding, but is there something there?"

Ayce laughed. "Does everyone but me call her Ana on a regular basis?"

Carol only laughed, but kept looking at Ayce expectantly. Ayce sighed. "Yea, I've noticed. I really don't know what to think about it. It's not the gay thing that bothers me, it's the person. I'm not too fond of Andrea. I think she tries too hard and whines way too much. But hey, it's her life, not mine. I'm here to protect Analyn, not run her love life."

Carol nodded her head slowly before a sly grin crossed her face. "And what about your love life? In fact, we really don't know anything about you…"

Ayce was thoughtful for a moment. She chose her words carefully, not wanting to lie and not wanting to give away too much. "I grew up as normal as any other family. I went to college and all that nifty jazz. I'm currently in the middle of med school, but I don't really see myself finishing it in the future. There's not much to tell."

She finished her basket quickly and stood from the tub. Carol watched her with an intense gaze. "You know," she said, a serious look on her face. "You should try to talk to the people here. Not just Hershel's family, but the others as well. You've really only been here a few days. I know you're trying to help, but I don't think they quite trust you."

She stood as well, balancing her basket on her hip. "Rick trusts you because he's also new here and knows what it's like to be alone in this mess. I trust you because you're being selfless and helpin' to find Sophia. No one else really has a reason. You should give them some."

She walked away, leaving Ayce to follow her and think on her words. Once back at camp, they went about hanging the clothes to dry. Lori chose that time to emerge from her tent.

"Can't believe I slept in."

Carol made a humming noise. "You must have needed it. Feelin' all right?"

Lori gave her look as she grabbed some of the damp clothes. "Next time wake me, okay? Especially on laundry day."

Carol pointed over at Ayce. "I had help, so it was no big deal. Actually though, I had an idea I wanted to run by you."

"What's that?"

"That big kitchen of theirs got me thinkin'. I wouldn't mind cookin' in a real kitchen again. Maybe…we all pitch in and make dinner for Hershel and his family tonight?"

Silence on Lori's end. Carol seemed to take it as if she thought it was a bad idea. "Kind of lookin' for things to keep my mind occupied," she mumbled.

Lori kept hanging clothes. "Seems like the least we could do for them after everything they've done for us."

"Would you extend the invitation?" she asked Lori. "It would feel more right comin' from you."

"How so?"

"You're Rick's wife. You're like out unofficial First Lady," she said with a laugh in her voice.

"Ayce, will you help with the cookin'?"

Ayce almost dropped the jeans she held. "Ah, no. I can't cook to save my life. Believe me. I'm so bad, I burnt water," she said.

Carol's eyes widened, and for a moment, she looked appalled. Then, out of nowhere, she busted out laughing. "What? Really? How can anyone be that bad?"

"Yea, I know," Ayce laughed. "If you want help, ask Analyn. She was the one with flair in the kitchen."

A nod from Carol.

"Mornin' guys! Let's get goin'." Rick's voice reached their ears. "Hey, Carol. I've got to go. You good here?"

"We're fine."

"Alright," she said. As she jogged away, she called back over her shoulder. "I mean it! You really want to ask Ana!"

With confident steps, Ayce approached the vehicle they gathered around. Daryl shot her a glance, one that she clearly read. He didn't want her here. Her eyes narrowed and her heart fell. It seemed they were right back at square one.

"Alright," said Rick, grabbing Ayce's attention along with everyone else's. "Everyone's getting new search grids today. If she made it as far as the farmhouse Daryl and Ayce found, she might have gone farther east than we've been so far."

"I'd like to help," said a voice. It belonged to one of Hershel's people, a boy. Ayce scoffed internally._ What could he do? He's survived this long by hiding and staying away from the danger. What use is he?_

"Hershel's okay with this?" asked Rick.

Ayce ignored the rest of the conversation. Something to do with Chupacabras and Slurpees in hell. Ayce shook her head and held back a laugh. She went and grabbed her bow quiver and slung it over her shoulder. She gripped her compound in her hand and started off into the woods. A looming figure blocked her path before she had taken two steps.

"Everyone else is goin' in groups. Maybe you should stick with me? At least that way I could keep an eye on ya."

Ayce took a step back and frowned, squinting her eyes to avoid the harsh glare of the sun. "No thanks, Cowboy. I do better on my own, and if I recall right, so do you. Besides, I'm a big girl. I can look after myself."

Daryl looked off at a distant tree, as if it held all the answers. "So we're back ta nicknames?"

Ayce propped a hand on her hip and tilted her head. "Guess so, being as how you want to go back to mean glares from across the campsite."

He was silent for a moment. His icy gaze fixed on her as his clenched his jaw. "Fine. Whatever." And then he left, his shoulder knocking hers and pushing her back another step. Ayce stared at the sky and held in a groan. _That was mean….Now I gotta apologize….._

With a sigh, she started off into the woods again, her mind trying to work up an apology.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sticks and twigs cracked under her feet. Her stealth was lacking today, big time. But in her defense, she was distracted with ways she could apologize. She was rather bitchy, but then again, he was being insufferable. There was just too much going on in the world, and she didn't have time to deal with his childish manner.

Ayce halted in her tracks. A low rumbling growl came from her left. Her head snapped in the general direction. A grey colored body launched itself at her. She went down in a tumble. She had to toss aside her bow to get both hands on its shoulders, keeping it away from her. Its teeth gnashed at her as it tried to get a mouthful. She wrinkled her nose in disgust and wiggled a knee in between their bodies. With a giant shove, she pushed the zombie away from her. In a flash, she had her bow in hand, pulled the notched arrow back, turned, and fired. As the body collapsed in the leaves, she took a moment to catch her breath. The blonde leaned against a tree and closed her eyes.

She shouldn't be out here. Sophia going missing wasn't her fault. She wasn't responsible. Lilith was dead, and Analyn needed her. She shouldn't be out here, practically asking something to kill her. She felt panic tearing its way through her, threatening to break her. She pushed away from the tree and forced it away. She couldn't afford to unravel here.

With a quick glance around, she sighed and headed back for the farmhouse.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

By the time Ayce got back, it was a little after one in the afternoon. The sun was still high in the sky, but making it's way down. Andrea was perched on top of the camper. A quiet scoff came from Ayce as she took in the high and mighty attitude the older blonde had.

She dropped her hunting things off at the tent and made her way inside, finding the rest of the women. Carol was the first to spot her, waving her into the kitchen. "You were right, Ayce. She certainly is something."

Ayce simply nodded her head, watching Analyn stir something in a large pot. Some sort of soup, she assumed.

When she heard the gunshot, it was like everyone froze in their tracks. Ana's hand stilled, Lori stopped chopping, and Carol dropped the dish she was washing. Then, it was like someone hit play. Ayce was the first to reach the front door, followed by the rest. Everyone was thinking the same thing.

_Who in the hell risked one gunshot?_

They ran as fast as they could, only stopping at the RV. The men were out in the field, hauling something towards the house. Andrea and Dale took off, racing out to meet the others. It was a long five minutes. When they finally got close enough for the thing to be identified, Ayce though her heart had jumped from her body and straight to the ground.

"Oh God," she whispered. "It's Daryl."

She wasn't aware of moving at all, but the next thing she knew, she was meeting Rick and Shane, who were both dragging him by the arms. "Is he okay? Is he alive? What happened?"

Ayce fired one question after the next. Glenn put a hand on her should, halting her. "He's alive, Ayce. Andrea shot him, thinking he was a Walker. It just grazed him, though. I'm not sure what else happened though, before he got shot."

Ayce listened with rapt attention. Then red dots danced in her vision when she spotted Andrea. The woman looked sheepish and worried, like she felt sorry. Ayce didn't care.

She stalked up to the other blonde and even though she was taller than Ayce, the look on her face made Andrea feel like an ant. "Are you happy now? You just had to go and prove yourself didn't you? You can't handle being treated like a woman. You just gotta prove that you're 'one of the guys' and that you're too good to wash laundry and cook. Well guess what? You almost killed Daryl." Ayce took a step closer, growling out her words in Andrea's face. "I hope they never give you a gun again. If you aren't trying to kill yourself, you're pointing it at everyone else."

Ayce then turned on her heel and walked into the house, wanting to bad to punch her in her face.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Daryl was awake when she got to the room. Rick had maps pulled out, Hershel was stitching Daryl up, and the injured man was doing his best to show where he had found the doll.

Ayce gave them a minute to sort out everything. While they talked, she watched. Daryl was covered in dirt from head to toe. His side was stitched up from something going through it, and he held a rag to his head to stop the bleeding. He looked like hell, but at least he was awake and talking.

Rick and Shane left the room, leaving herself, Daryl, and Hershel. Hershel took to cleaning up and not speaking, while Ayce stood by the door. Daryl kept his eye closed for a while, which is why his voice startled Ayce.

"You gonna stand there and stare all day, Blondie?"

Ayce laughed softly and walked forward. Daryl opened his eyes and did his best to move over on the bed. He patted the spot next to him, and Ayce sat on the edge of the bed. Ayce took the once white rag from him and brushed his hair away from the wound. "That right there looked painful."

Her comment earned her an eye roll.

Ayce looked around, discovering that Hershel had left. She spotted a small bowl of water that was slightly murky and tinged pink. Grabbing a new rag, she dipped it into the water, wrung it out, and proceeded to clean the blood from his temple. He winced every now and then, earning a mumble sorry from Ayce every time.

Once it was clean, she sat back and grinned. "Doesn't look so bad now. It'll be healed in no time."

Shifting her gaze from the wound to his face, she found him staring at her with an odd look. "What?" she asked.

He shook his head, and the look was gone. "Nothin'"

She raised her brow, but said nothing. "Alright, well, you rest. I'm gonna go see about dinner."

He nodded, closing his eyes, and she left.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

Dinner was an awkward event. Everyone was silent, and the tension in the air could literally be cut with a knife. The silence was broken when Glenn piped up. "So, does anyone play guitar? Dael found a really cool one." When no one answered, Glenn laughed nervously.

"Come on, someone had to." Analyn opened her mouth, but with a quick glare from Ayce, she shut it with a snap.

"Otis did."

Everyone got real still after that.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ana and Ayce fixed together a plate for Daryl. Rather than Ayce take it to him, she asked Carol if she would instead. The older lady gave her a weird look, but took it then made her way outside to her tent. She did not sleep though.

After her thoughts veered into dangerous territory, she shook her head and went to find Dale.

"I don't suppose you could lend me that guitar you found?"

"You play?" was her answer.

Ayce fidgeted under his gaze, but nodded. "Yea. One of the only things I CAN do. Its relaxing."

Dale nodded his head and disappeared for a moment. He came back with an acoustic. "If I hand this over, you gotta play for us one day."

Ayce nodded with a grin. "Deal."

Once back in her tent, she sat cross legged and settled the instrument in her lap. After some tuning, she began to pick out a melody.


	9. Chapter 9

**Alright, new chapter. I dont think its up to par with the other more recent ones, but oh well. I packed two episodes into this because by thtemselves, it was horribly , let me know what you guys think. Am I going too slow with the romance angle? Should I pick up the speed? Any story suggestions you people have are welcome. Remember R&R!**

**Song: Running Up That Hill - Placebo**

**I own nothing but Ayce and Ana**

Chapter 9

Everyone was up bright an early the next morning. The sun had just began to light up the sky when Analyn shook Ayce awake.

"Come on, Ayce!"

Ayce rolled from her side onto her back, looking bleary eyed at her little sister. "What? What? Are we under attack?"

"No. I've only been trying to wake you for the past five minutes. God, you're a heavy sleeper, even in this situation. Anyway, you told me to get you up when the sun rose, well, it's rising. Get up." And with that, the younger blonde exited the tent.

The other gave a loud yawn and rolled over, pulling the cover up over her head.

"Don't even think about it."

Analyn's voice shattered her quiet. With a groan, she tossed the covers away, gave her a glare that would freeze Rick in his tracks, and began to pull clothes from her bag. Thank God they did laundry the day before.

Once she was dressed, she grabbed her trusty bow and headed out. The plan was to go hunting for the group so they didn't start running low.

They sky was a medium grey color as she set off across the field, pacing herself at a jog. Birds chirped all around her, reminding her of the better days when she would do this, when there weren't freaky corpses walking around trying to eat their faces off.

She closed her eyes, allowing herself just that one moment of peace. Or at least, she thought it was a moment. She wasn't sure how long she was there. Twigs snapped softly off to her right, alerting her to another presence. Her eyes snapped open and she twisted her head to the side.

Deer.

A small grin spread over her face as she began her hunt.

0o0o0o0o0o0oo0o0o0o0

Ayce almost felt like humming as she trotted back to the house, the deer dragging behind her. It wasn't very heavy. It wasn't that it was unhealthy, just slightly small.

Ayce exited the tree line, and would have continued walking, but a flash of color halted her. The woman, Patricia, was walking towards the barn with a wheelbarrow. With Ayce's heightened hearing, with her being a hunter, she was just able to make out the sounds of chickens squawking in pain and fear. She narrowed her eyes as she hid, watching the elder woman walked to the barn, up the loft, and dump the bag of chickens down into the barn

_What the hell?_

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

The group thanked Ayce profusely when she brought them the deer. Carol took it off her hands, saying she knew a thing or two about skinning and cleaning, which Ayce was grateful for, being as how that was her least favorite part.

She put her bow away and collapsed in her pile of blankets, her mind wandering.

Just what was Patrica doing? She was obviously feeding something, if the live chickens were any indication. But what? Did they have a pet bear or something?

She thought for a moment longer and made up her mind. She was going to see what was in there.

As she exited the tent, she ran into Analyn.

"Oh, God! Sorry Ayce... Actually, i'm glad I found you. I was wondering...Well, see, the thing is... Carl's going, and he's like, 12, so I don't see why I can't go..."

"Jesus, Ana, spit it out."

Analyn looked up at Ayce with wide doe eyes. "I wanna go train with everyone..."

Ayce raised a blonde brow. "Train with what, exactly?"

"Guns."

"Absolutely not."

Analyn's face contorted with anger. "And why the hell not?"

"Because they are dangerous, Analyn! Because Carl almost lost his life because he was shot! Guns are not reliable. They can jam, backfire, and in case you haven't noticed, the bullets do run out! No, you're better off sticking to your knives."

Analyn shook her head. "I may be good with them, but it's always a good idea to be versatile. And you know what?" she said, her chest puffing out like she was trying to pull an alpha female aura. "I'm going anyway. You can't tell me that I can't go. I was asking out of respect of you, but now I can see you're just going to be narrow-minded."

In a flurry of golden curls, she was gone, leaving Ayce speechless. Her only thought was She's never talked back. Never defied what I said.

This is Andrea's fault. I knew she was a bad influence.

"Well, um... I didn't see anything."

Ayce glanced over at Glenn, who was standing there awkwardly with a basket. "I mean, I really didn't... Um, here. Peach and jerky." He handed her the items hesitantly, like he was worried that she was going to chop off his hand or something. "Calm down, Glenn. I'm not gonna explode or anything," she said, accepting the items with an added thanks.

On the inside, though, she thought she might. However, her next observation put all of that from her mind.

"Glenn, what do you know about what's in the barn?"

The Asian paled visibly, his eyes opened wide, and he began to stutter. "W-what? I-I have NO idea what you're talking about. I mean, it's just a barn. It's actually a rather nice barn. I wish my house had a barn like that."

"Glenn, you keep looking at it like it's gonna burst open and kill us all. What. Is in. The Barn."

He was quiet for a moment, but then he took a deep breath. "Walkers. There are...Walkers. In the barn..."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

_Deep breaths..._

Ayce squared her shoulders and pushed aside the flap the Daryl's tent, a sarcastic smirk crossing her face. "So, Cowboy. How does it feel to be a cripple?"

The redneck in question rolled his eyes and put down the book he held. "Yer so damn funny, aren't ya?"

She grinned wider and plopped down on the opposite end of the tent, facing him. "You know I'm just full of laughs. You also know it was just a matter of time before I came here to tease you."

Her grin faded slightly as she looked to the ground and began picking at a loss string on his blanket. "I am sorry, ya know? Sorry that I didn't go with you when you offered. If I had been there, maybe you wouldn't have been hurt. Then you wouldn't have come back lookin' half dead. Then the stupid blonde bitch wouldn't have shot you. So, yea. I'm sorry."

The amount of pride she had to swallow was incredible. It would put Andrea to shame. Darl must have sensed this. But he didn't say 'oh no, its all good,' or 'don't beat yourself up.' He spoke in a way he knew she would understand.

"Yer probably right. If ya hadn't been so dead set on workin' alone, I might have avoided an arrow in the side and a bullet against the skull. But," he said, drawing her attention. "What's done is done. I've forgiven Andrea fer shootin' me. I can look past you being stubborn. Let's just not let it happen again."

Ayce smiled widely. "Kay, Cowboy."

He pointed a finger at her threateningly. "Keep that up. I'll find somethin' worse than Blondie ta call ya."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o

In her tent once again, Ayce's thoughts drifted. She was worried. Worried about Analyn, about the barn, about the future, everyone that was hurt. Daryl, Carl, and T-Dog were all injured, and on top of that, Sophia was still missing. And she didn't know what to do about Shane. She was absolutely sure he killed Otis. But that wasn't the point. The point was that each day, he got shiftier. Looked more and more paranoid. She didn't feel safe around him.

Ayce heaved a sigh. She could only deal with one issue at a time.

"_Who all knows?"_

_Glenn glanced at the ground. "Just me and Dale. And, well, you, and the people who live here, of course. And only Maggie knows that I know. "_

_Ayce nodded slowly. "We need to tell the group, just not now. They're all scared enough as it is. It's not the right time, so just keep it to yourself."_

_Glenn nodded his head, staying silent, thinking. Then:_

"_What are we going to do when we do tell them?" he asked, meeting her gaze. She gave him a pat on the shoulder and began to make her way to Daryl's tent. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."_

She stared out the window of her tent, think over the conversation she and Glenn had. It was a good idea. They couldn't tell them just yet. They were all nervous with Sophia still gone and people being hurt left and right. It was best to wait.

0o0o0oo0o0o0o0o0

Analyn was avoiding her. Ayce could tell this was apparent. The group had long since come back, and the little blonde was nowhere to be seen. Neither was Andrea.

Ayce frown at this, wanting desperately to see at least one of them. Then she'd know for a fact that they weren't alone. Together. God, she was being paranoid.

She knew why, though. She knew why she was being avoided. Analyn thought Ayce was still mad. And she was, but only a little. She had come to realize though, that they couldn't get by with just Ayce's bow and Ana's knives. They needed to be like Ana said. Versatile.

When she finally did track her down, it was well into late afternoon. She found her with Beth. The two of them were cooking, laughing, and having a good time.

Ayce walked into the kitchen and leaned against the door frame, crossing her arms. "So how was target practice?"

Both girls stopped what they were doing. Ana's face reflected exactly what she was thinking. She really wasn't ready to be confronted yet. Beth looked nervous, but smiled lightly. "It was great. It took me awhile to get the hang of it, but Ana was amazing. You should have seen her."

Ayce walked farther in the room. "Yea? She did good then?"

Analyn nodded slowly. "Yea... Rick and Shane are good teachers."

Ayce smiled and closed the rest of the distance between them, pulling her into a gentle hug. "That's good. I'm not gonna have someone who doesn't know what they're doing teach you."

She stepped back and gave her cheek a soft pat, letting her know she wasn't mad. The little blonde perked up and grinned like she had just been told the zombies were gone. Ayce left the kitchen before her presence made the stove burst into flames. With her flair in the kitchen, she wouldn't be surprised if she looked at it wrong and it exploded.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As she came back to camp, Lori was folding clothes. Ayce went to call out, wanting to help the woman, but she was sidetracked. Maggie was back with Glenn, and she looked pissed.

"Hey!" she called out, her deadly glare set on Lori. "We got your stuff!"

Glenn, bless his heart, tried to keep up and calm her down, but the country girl just wasn't hearing it. Lori looked like a deer caught in the headlights as she tried to get her to go into the tent with her.

"Why? Nothin' to hide! We got your special delivery right here! We got you lotion! Your conditioner! Your "Soap Opera Digest!"" As she listed the items, she threw them down on the ground at Lori's feet.

Ayce reached them now, her eyes narrowed as she took in her demeanor and tone. She was truly furious with Lori. Why? Ayce wished she hadnt asked.

"Next time you want something, get it your own self. We are not your little errand boys."

She snatched something off the ground and threw it at Lori. "And here's your abortion pills." And then she left. Glenn lingered a moment, not knowing what to say, then he left as well.

Lori refused to look at Ayce, who was genuinely shocked. It took her a moment, but she finally found her voice. "Lori... I don't understand."

Lori scoffed. "of course you don't. You aren't a mother. You don't have to worry about your only child growing up knowing nothing but death. You don't have to worry about your unborn baby never knowing joy and peace and kindness."

It seemed that the people in this camp lived to make Ayce speechless, which is exactly how she felt as Lori left.

_What. The hell?_

_Was everyone going crazy?_

The wave of panic that threatened Ayce in the woods reared it's ugly head again. She placed a hand over her heart, as if she could physically stop it from racing. She could literally feel the harsh reality come crashing down.

_No, no, no, NO!_

She refused to let it take her. So she forced it down. Lilith's death, the fact that the dead walked around eating people, Sophia, murdering Timmy, Lori and her stupid decisions, the fact that she could never have kids because of the world being fucked. All of it went right back to the bottle it had tried to spill from.

The effort left her gasping for air, but she managed and went about her day. She didnt catch the stormy blue eyes watching her. Didn't know that she would have to face her problems sooner rather than later because of those stormy blues.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ayce found Analyn sitting out in a field, silently crying. Instantly, she felt her older sister instincts rise up. "Ana, honey, what happened?"

Analyn took a moment, staring out at the setting sun. "I found out. Found out about Shane and Andrea..."

Ayce frowned, dropping to her sister's side and pulling her close. "Oh, Ana... I'm so sorry."

Analyn wiped her eyes and tried to smile. "It's alright. You didn't like her anyway. Especially since she shot your man."

With Ana being so down, Ayce let her get by with her jab, just this once. "That doesn't mean that you can stop the way you feel. Who cares if I like her or not. All that matters it that you like her. Besides, its probably just a short, one time deal. Shane's way too in love with Lori. She'll come around. You just have to show her."  
Analyn nodded, not speaking, and rested her head against Ayce's shoulder as the two of them watched as the sun sank lower and lower.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

No one could have been prepared for the next morning. It was average. Ayce didn't get up early to hunt, Carol was cooking, and everyone was eating. Daryl even came out of his tent. Ayce grinned widely and pulled up a chair beside him. "Finally out and about, lazy bones? Thought you'd never leave the tent."

"Shuddup...It was only a day, two tops," he said through a mouthful of egg.

Ayce swatted him on the should. "Don't talk with you mouth full. It's rude."

"You're rude."

"Great comeback, Cowboy."

And so it continued like this, until Glenn had to go and ruin it all.

"So, the barn is full of walkers."

And everyone was silent.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"You can't tell me you're alright with this!" Shane said angrily as he walked away from the barn. They had all gathered there to confirm that there was indeed walkers holed up in it.

"No, i'm not! But we're are guests here. This isn't out land."

"Oh, God, this is our lives, man!"

Glenn took that moment to pipe up. "Lower your voice," he said anxiously.

"We can't just sweep this under the rug."

Shane nodded his head. "It ain't right. Not remotely."

Ayce bowed her head, studying the dirt as if it held all the answers. "I cant believe im saying this," she said. "But I agree with Shane and Andrea. Now that everyone knows, something has to be done."

Everyone gave her a strange look, but it was Daryl who spoke. "Now that EVERYONE knows? Wait, so did you know?" Ayce didn't answer. "How long DID you know, Ayce?" Ayce's head snapped up, blue eyes meeting blue. He never called her Ayce; it was always Blondie.

"When were you gonna tell us? Or better yet, WHY didn't you tell us." The redneck was damn near yelling now, and with every question, he took a few more steps, until he was basically yelling in her face.

She did nothing to stop him though, which surprised herself more than anyone. She did feel guilty about not telling them. Even though she told Glenn not to, she didn't like keeping it from them. She had felt just like Glenn did. Like she was lying.

Dale took a step forward. "Don't yell at her, Glenn and I also knew. We are just as much to blame here."

Everyone went quiet as Daryl looked between the two of them, shook his head, and walked away from her.

Shane continued with his plans."We've either gotta go in there; we've gotta make things right, or we just gotta go. We have be talking about Fort Benning for a long time."

"We can't go," Rick growled, cutting him off.

"Why, Rick? Why?"

"Because my daughter is still out there." Carol said, speaking up for the first time. Her voice sounded meek and quiet, but also like she could believe that Shane was suggesting that they should leave her behind.

Shane looked like he wanted to laugh. "Okay, I think its time that we all start to just consider the other possibility."

"Shane, we're not leaving Sophia behind," said Rick.

Daryl came back from where he retreated earlier, his anger flaring again. "I'm this close to findin' this girl. I just found her damn doll two days ago."

Shane did laugh this time. "You found her doll, Daryl. That's what you did. You found a doll."

Ayce stepped forward then. "At least he found something. What have you got to show for it, Shane?"

Daryl spoke at the same time as Ayce, their words mingling together. "Man, ya don't know what the hell yer talkin' about!"

Rick stepped in between Shane and Daryl. The rest of their words were incoherent. More yelling and fighting between the two. The two got closer and closer until they were at blows. Everyone moved at once, jumping between the two. Ayce grabbed Daryl's shoulders and pushed him back, while Rick took care of Shane.

Ayce did her best to keep him calm. She found that she didn't even need to speak. He began pacing around, but after she placed a hand on his arm, he stilled. He didn't look at her. He just stared at the ground. But that was fine by her.

Everyone's arguing was halted by the door of the barn. The walkers pushed up against them, snarling and growling. Everyone knew something had to be done.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"What the hell is he doing?!" she whispered, watching Daryl take off on horseback. She looked at the stables that he came from, seeing Carol. Ayce jogged over.

"Just what in the hell does he think he's doing? He's not supposed to be out right now. He;s healing."

"I know," she said, wiping tears from her eyes. "He wouldn't listen."

"Carol, hun? What's wrong?"

She shook her head, not looking Ayce in the eye. "I feel so stupid. I basically told him I had given up. That I had given up on finding her..."

Ayce didn't know what to feel. She felt sorry for this woman, but also appalled. "How could you have said that to him? Him, of all people? Daryl, who has been searching every day for her? Who almost got himself killed to bring back her doll? Carol..."

With a shake of her head, she walked away, hiding away in the confines of her tent. There was simply too much. She laid down and closed her eyes, drifting off into a dreamless doze.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Ayce, wake up. You have a visitor..." Analyn's voice broke through her doze, waking her easily. "Kay...," she mumbled. The tent was filled with the smell of sweat, and something that belonged very specifically to one man. Ayce sat up and turned, knowing already who it was.

"You're back."

Daryl nodded, sitting down by the entrance. "Yea, I'm back." He looked around for a moment before speaking again. "Listen, i'm sorry about earlier. Ya know, when I yell at ya about the walkers and the barn. I know ya were thinkin' of the group. And ya were protectin' yer sister."

Ayce nodded and smiled. "It's okay. I forgive you. Are you okay though? You weren't supposed to leave yet..."

He waved away her question. "Yea, Im fine. Tough as nails, us Dixons."

A small laugh escaped her. "Okay, I believe you. Just humor me though. Lift the shirt."

He raised a brow but did as she asked, leaning to the side slightly so she could get a better look at the wound. She poked and prodded softly as she inspected it for fresh blood or infection. Finding neither, she sat back and grinned. "Okay, you're good."

Dropping the shirt back in place, he shook his head and chuckled. "Bossy..."

"Impulsive."

"Mother Goose."

"Ass."

And once again, their playful banter was back.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They left the tent and ran into Carol, who was making her way to the house. As they approached the others, they noticed there were people missing.

"Where is everyone?"

"You haven't seen Rick?"

"He went off with Hershel. We were supposed to leave a couple of hours ago,"

Daryl interjected himself into their conversation as they approached. "Yea, ya were. What the hell?"

"Rick told us he was going out," Carol said.

Ayce shrugged her shoulders. "Don't look at me. I've been asleep."

Daryl threw up his hands. "Damn it. Isn't anybody taking this seriously? We got us a damn trail. Oh here we go." His toned changed remarkably when he spotted Shane. "What's all this?" he asked, gesturing to the arsenal Shane was carrying.

"You with me man?" he asked Daryl.

"Yea."

"Time to grow up," and handed him a gun.

He passed out guns to people, stopping at Analyn. He held one out to her, and she took it. Ayce wanted so badly to hit him. How dare he give her little kid sister a gun!? And before she knew it, she found one thrust into her own hands. And she asked herself the same thing he asked Glenn.

Will I protect my own?

As she looked at Analyn, and looked at Daryl, and Carol, and everyone else, she knew that answer was yes.

It all went downhill when Hershel came out of the woods with Rick, leading captive walkers.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

After that, there was so much confusion. Shane was the only one really speaking, but with the adrenaline pumping in her veins, it was hard for her to really comprehend what he was saying exactly. She knew he had to be right though. He shot the walkers to prove a point to Hershel, and she really felt for the man. He looked truly devastated. Her remorse didn't last long before the doors were opened and the walkers poured out.

When Andrea made the first step to stand by Shane, everyone else armed followed suit. They unloaded their firepower on the whole lot of them. It was a bloodbath. Ayce didn't really remember think about each shot. She just squeezed the trigger when she thought she could make it. It was over relatively quickly.

When the last one hit the ground, everyone kind of looked around awkwardly. Beth and Maggie were both in tears, while the others looked horrified.

It didn't last long. Soft growling drew the attention of everyone. The last walker slowly made itself known. Ayce felt a single tear slip down her cheek. "Oh. Oh my God. Sophia..."

Off to the side, she heard Carol sob, saying the girl's name over and over. She heard feet hitting the dirt, a gun drop, and more sobbing. Ayce couldn't take her eyes off the girl as she made her way through the bodies.

Rick moved forward, pointed the gun, then shot her. Ayce jumped at the sound, not wanting to believe what had happened before her very own eyes. She didn't hear Carol cry anymore. All sound was drowned out by the ringing in her ears. It was almost as if she could hear her own heart breaking.

This girl, whom they had been searching for, who they had been wounded for, was beyond saving this whole time, and right under their noses. It was like a slap in the face. Ayce dropped her gun and slowly sat on the ground, staring at the body.

_I tried to save you... Why couldn't I save you?_

She didn't know if it was directed at Sophia or Lilith.


	10. Chapter 10

**Well, its kinda sad. My earlier chapters didn't reach 3,000 words, then I was about to spit out almost 6,000. Now im back to not even breaking 3,000 again. I feel like I let ya'll down...But maybe the content of this chapter will make up for it. **

**Remember to R&R! If you do, i'll give you cyber cookies!**

**I don't own Walking Dead. If I did, I would make Daryl do very naughty things...*evil laugh***

**Song: Apology - Alesena**

Chapter 10

Rick lowered his gun as took a moment to stare at the body. Everyone was thinking the same thing.

How did it happen like this?

Ayce could hear Carol sobbing off to the side, bringing her back to reality. She stayed sitting in her spot on the ground, but turned her head to watch Daryl lift the older woman up. She fought him, shoving and slapping his hands away, and eventually, he let go. She left of her own accord.

Ayce turned back to the body of the little girl, but she didn't see Sophia there. She saw light skin and dark brown curls.

I couldn't save you...

Her breathing quickened, and she felt a sting in her eyes.

Who was that making those gasping sounds?

She felt a hand come down on her shoulder, making her jump. Before she could look, she was lifted onto her own two feet. She was then encased in a pair of arms. She squeezed her eyes shut, refusing to let her tears fall. She had to be strong. She didn't fall apart with Lilith's death, and she sure as hell wasn't going to do it now. Her arms came up to grip whomever was holding her. She latched onto broad shoulders as i'd hanging on for dear life and buried her face in their chest. She breathed in the scent of sweat and motor oil and grinned in spite of everything.

Daryl...

Ayce gave him a pat and detached herself. She rubbed the offending tears from her eyes and gave him a small smile, one which he did not return. He gave her knowing look, studying her carefully, an action she ignored.

As she walked away from him, she came to notice the sounds of more crying, coming from Beth. The young girl fought her way through everyone, wanting only to make it to the pile of bodies. She knelt beside one and shoved a dead walker off another. As she did this, it became apparent that this one wasn't dead. It reared up, snarling and growling, attempting to take a chunk of Beth. It was a mad scramble to get Beth away from it. T-Dog stomped on its face, but it kept coming. It didn't stop until Andrea put a blade through it's head.

Ayce took this moment to look over to Analyn. The younger girl still clutched the shotgun, her knuckles turning white. It looked far too big to be in her small eyes were wide and tearful. She had been crying freely, but from what she could tell, Ayce determined she was going to be okay.

Ayce made her way over to her and gently took the gun from her hands, replacing it with one of her own hands. She squeezed slightly, earning her the girl's attention. She sniffed and nodded her head in the direction of Sophia.

"You saw it too?" she whispered. "Lilith...?"

Ayce pulled the girl to her on a one armed hug. She was really too smart.

They broke apart as Andrea walked over. Ayce looked at her with distrust and Analyn fidgeted. The look on her face made Ayce think twice about hitting the blonde bimbo. "I'll just leave you two alone. I'll be right over there." Her last sentence was punctuated with a meaningful stare at Andrea. Meaning she would be within shooting distance.

Everyone began making their way towards the house. They were all furious. They had all be searching for her. Daryl took an arrow and a bullet for her, and Ayce herself had almost died trying to find her. And she had been there under their noses the whole time.

Ayce couldn't bring herself to follow. She hung back, watching as Analyn made her way with Andrea.

Ayce blinked, did a double take, then grinned. They were _holding hand_s...

It wasn't long before Andrea came back without Analyn, carrying a grey and red blanket. As she covered Sophia with it, Ayce made her decision. Andrea stood as Ayce made her way over to the other woman.

"I just want to make things very clear," said Ayce, her tone implying that she was not to be interrupted. "You know that I don't like you. But that really doesn't matter. What matters is that Analyn does. So if you do anything stupid, like sleep with Shane again, or anything of the sort to make her cry, I will not hesitated in putting a bullet through your annoying ass skull. We clear?"

The whole time, Andrea stayed quiet. She didn't flinch, didn't try to speak, she simply listened. And she surprised Ayce farther by nodding her head. "Okay."

And they left it at that.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They decided on a service for Sophia, Annette, and Shawn, but the other would be burned. Ayce didn't go, and she didnt help move bodies. She just couldn't. Every single one of them had Lilith's face. Her dull green eyes and blue lips.

Instead, Ayce found herself on the dock by the pond. It was nice spot, overgrown with greenery. Insects' buzzing filled her ears as she strummed softly on the strings of the guitar. She had grabbed it on her way, wanting some form of comfort. She didn't dare ask anyone. It was embarrassing enough that she had practically fell into Daryl's arms.

She scowled at the memory. She wasn't some helpless damsel that needed saving, so why had she acted like it. Another thing that bothered her was the fact that she was embarrassed. She did not generally care what people thought, so why did she know?

A twinge in her side drew her attention. She lifted her shirt to take a look at the bandages there. It had only been a few days since her accident in the woods, and already, it was beginning to scar. It was also a reminder that it had only been a few days since she met thte group, just a few day and already, her and Analyn belonged. It also said that Lilith's death had only occurred a week ago.

She let go of the shirt quickly and scowled again, picking the guitar back up. She strummed it a few times before she finally found a song she wanted to play.

_**Stay for tonight**_

_**If you want to**_

_**I can show you**_

_**What my dreams are made of,**_

_**as I'm dreaming of your face**_

_**I've been away for a long time**_

_**Such a long time**_

_**And I miss you there**_

_**I can't imagine being anywhere else**_

_**I can't imagine being anywhere else but here**_

_**How the hell did you ever pick me?**_

_**Honestly, I could sing you a song**_

_**But I don't think words can express your beauty**_

_**It's singing to me**_

_**How the hell did we end up like this?**_

_**You bring out the beast in me**_

_**I fell in love from the moment we kissed**_

_**Sincethen we've been history**_

_**They say that love is forever**_

_**Your forever is all that I need**_

_**Please stay as long as you need**_

_**Can't promise that things won't be broken**_

_**But I swear that I will never leave**_

_**Please stay forever with me**_

_**It goes to show, I hope that you know that you are**_

_**What my dreams are made of**_

_**Can't fall asleep, can't fall asleep**_

_**I lay in my bed awake, in my bed awake at night**_

_**As I dream of you**_

_**I'll fall in love, you'll fall in love**_

_**It could mean everything, everything to me**_

_**I can't imagine being anywhere else**_

She paused for a moment, holding the strums and wiping her eyes. Tears had escaped her without her consent, and it angered her. After a moment, played the strings again.

_**They say that love is forever**_

_**Your forever is all that I need**_

_**Please stay as long as you need**_

_**Can't promise that things won't be broken**_

_**But I swear that I will never leave**_

_**Please stay forever with me**_

_**The way that we are**_

_**It's the reason I stay**_

_**As long as you're here with me**_

_**I know we'll be Ok**_

_**The way that we are**_

_**It's the reason I stay**_

_**As long as you're here with me**_

_**I know I'll be Ok**_

_**They say that love is forever**_

_**Your forever is all that I need**_

_**Please stay as long as you need**_

_**Can't promise that things won't be broken**_

_**But I swear that I will never leave**_

_**Please stay forever with me**_

As she went to sing the last verse, a voice interrupted her.

"I didn't know ya played."

Ayce halted her music and twisted around, already knowing who it was.

He gave her a pitying look, reminding Ayce that she had been crying. She quickly stood, wiping her eyes again and began to walk off the dock.

"Yeah, um, my dad, before he died, taught me to play.I really should go help them with the bodies..."

As she passed by him, she was halted. He grabbed her arm, preventing her from leaving. She looked at the offending hand, then up at him, her expression saying everything.

_What the hell do you think you're doing?_

"Let me go."

"No."

"Now..."

"Not gonna happen, Ayce."

"Let go, damnit!"

He waited a minute before speaking, his eye conveying all of his stubbornness.

"Ayce, I've been sittin' here for the last few days watching you take one blow after the other. And ya never react. Ya know, it ain't healthy to bottle all of that up. You gotta stop beatin'' yourself up over it all. Lilith's death wasn't yer fault, and neither was Sophia's"

Ayce struggled against his hold, stating that she was fine. All he did was tug her back. They struggled a few more seconds before he had had enough. With an irritated huff, she tugged harder, sending her crashing into his chest. She was vaguely aware of the guitar crashing against the ground as she brought her hands up to push away. She found that she wasn't quick enough as his arms wrapped around her once again.

She wondered briefly how she always ends up in these situations.

She went to voice her discomfort and anger, but all that came out was a tiny whimper. Her body betrayed her mind as the tears flowed freely, and her whimpers escalated to sobs. And Ayce finally stopped struggling against Daryl, and against her emotions. She cried for everything as he rubbed circles on her back.

Sophia, Lilith, killing Timmy, her mother dying, the walker outbreak. Hell, even the death of her real father.

She had no idea how long she cried. She did know that by the end of it, she was exhausted. Her sobs turned to sniffles. She kept her head down as she wiped away the evidence of her felt a finger tap under her jaw and she lifted her head. His hand stayed there to prevent her from looking down again.

"It wasn't yer fault. It wasn't anyone's fault," he said softly. She almost believed him.

It was that moment that they both seemed to notice exactly how close they were. In both their head, the moment back at the CDC flashed before their eyes. Ayce felt his grip around her waist tighten ever so slightly.

The first brush of their lips sent a tingling sensation down her spine. Her lips parted in a silent gasp, and she wanted raised up on her toes, crashing their lips together. She rose her arms up to grip his shoulders, her nails digging into his bare flesh.

He nipped at her bottom lip and she gasped, giving him the chance to slip his tongue into her mouth. A small part of her brain noticed that he strangely tasted of cinnamon.

Ayce allowed this to continue for a few more moments before her mind cleared from it's lust induced haze. She shook her head and stepped back, breaking them apart. She didn't meet his gaze as she stooped to pick up the fallen guitar, then turned and ran, leaving a very confused Daryl alone by the pond.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Arriving in the house, Ayce finally caught her breath. However, she was met with another problem.

"What's wrong with Beth?"

Everyone stared. Analyn pulled her aside and whispered. "She collapsed. We think she's in shock, and Hershel's gone missing. Rick and Glenn left to go find him." Ayce nodded in understanding.

She immersed herself in caring for the girl and making her comfortable. Anything to distract her. On the other hand, she finally felt relief. She didn't feel as if the world was crushing her with guilt. She didn't feel as if one more tragedy was going to break her.

After a while, Lori came up to Ayce, asking her a favor. "Ayce, do you mind finding Daryl for me? I need to ask him something, but he's nowhere. And he listens to you."

Ayce froze in her tracks and slowly turned to look at the woman. She hoped her face didn't give anything away. "I'm sorry Lori, but I can't. I have...that thing...to go do...yea..." And then Ayce made herself scarce.

When Lori came back and gathered her things, Ayce was the only one who noticed. She pulled the woman aside and spoke in a low whisper. "Just what are you doing?"

Lori looked at her with wide eyes. "I Daryl won't go for me. I'm going to get them myself."

Ayce shook her head, grabbing her arm when she tried to leave. "Lori, you can't. You're pregnant."

"I have to. It's my husband we're talking about."

Ayce hesitated a moment, then spoke. "I'm going with you then."

Lori tried to protest, but in the end, she lost. Ayce grabbed her bow without being noticed and slipped into the car with Lori. On the way, the brunette tried to make conversation. "So, Daryl moved his things. He's out in the field, over by the lone tree. know why?"

Ayce stared out the side window and shook her head. "No," she said, shortly. Lori didn't talk any more.

As Lori took out a map, she took her eyes off the road. She didn't see the walker stumble out onto the road.

"Lori, watch out!"

Lori's head snapped up. She gasped an 'Oh shit!' and tried to swerve, but they had no such luck. The walker crashed into the front window, Shattering it in the process. Lori drove onto the dirt and hit a large dump, sending the car in the air and crashing down the road.

The last thing Ayce saw was the world go upside down before it went black.

**_*The song Ayce sings is the acoustic version of If I'm James Dean, You're Audrey Hepburn by Sleeping With Sirens*_**


	11. Chapter 11

**Well, here you go. I swear, I'm gonna blow up if I keep making short chapters. But, then again, you guys make me wanna post real fast cause I want ya'll to read it ASAP. So I blame my reviewers. It's all your fault. :) Lots of love to all of you.**

**R&R!**

**I own Ayce and Analyn**

**Song:Change - Deftones**

Chapter 11

The world was so full of shit. Even before the dead walked around with the munchies. You had corrupt law enforcement, politicians were a species on their own, lawyers who were no better than the people they put away. Then you had murderers, rapists, thieves, abusers.

In Ayce's honest opinion, the zombie apocalypse was for the better. Yea, you had to fight harder for life, but at least you weren't surrounded by bullshit in what people tried to make out as a perfect world. Now you knew that it was going to hell.

Every now and again, she would think back to the good days, when Analyn's smile held that secret twinkle, back when she was truly happy. She saw more of that now ever since they found the caravan. Ayce suspects it's because of Andrea.

Her memories brought her back to a random day. The sky was slightly cloudy, but did nothing to stop the harsh sunlight. There was no breeze to speak of. Ayce sighed and sat on the grass, wiping her forehead.

"I don't understand how you do this..."

At her sister's comment, Analyn raised her head and set down her little shovel. She shook her head and laughed, sitting back with Ayce. She brushed the grass off her calves and reached for a bottled water.

"And I don't understand why you can't. Ayce, it's giving something life. Helping it grow. Almost like having a kid, but without the pain and all the crying."

Ayce grimaced at the thought of having a kid. "Yeah, but it's too hot."

"You whine too much."

"No, I'm spoiled by air conditioning." She stood and brushed her shorts off. "You have fun melting out here."

"Wait," said Analyn, grabbing the other's wrist. "You have to plant at least one." As she said this, she held out a tiny seed. If Ayce had dropped it then, it would never have been found again. Hell, even a bird wouldn't want it.

With a sigh, Ayce took the seed and dropped it in the dirt and covered it. When her sister gave her a 'go on' look, she took the water and poured it over the spot. "There. Happy?"

Over the years, Ayce would take care of that little plant. Water, feed it, keep the weeds away. And every year, when Analyn would plant new flowers, Ayce would put at least one in the ground and help it grow.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

A hand roughly shook Ayce, and she watched as her memory faded into black. She felt as if she was going to cry.

"Ayce, wake up. Please Ayce, we need to go."

Her eyes fluttered open, realizing now that the pain in her neck was from leaning for too long. The car was sideways. A walker had apparently tried to get in through the window. It's flesh had been peeled away by the glass. a screwdriver was shoved through it's eye.

When Ayce untangled herself from the seatbelt and exited the car, she found another with a bullet through it's head. Lori was shaking and holding a gun. "Oh, Lori..." She put an arm around the woman's shoulders. "I'm sorry hun. I wish I had gotten up sooner."

Lori shook her head, "It's fine." She took Ayce's face in her hands and looked her over. "You've got blood on you. I think you bumped your head."

Ayce waved away her hands. "I'm okay. Are you though?" she asked, her eyes glancing at the woman's stomach for a brief moment. Her question was answered with a nod.

"Alright," said Ayce, looking around. She then noticed it was dark. "Well then. So what now...?"

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Analyn helped the other women prepare dinner. She didn't have her whole heart in it though. She was worried. She hadn't seen Ayce all day, and was worried that she was taking Sophia's death too hard. Like Ayce would talk to anyone about it though.

"We'll head out first thing in the morning."

Analyn's head popped up. "What?" she asked.

Andrea smiled softly. "Rick, honey. Him and Glenn left earlier to find Hershel. They aren't back yet."

"Oh, okay."

"Lori, dinner."

"She's not in there."

Silence.

Shane broke the silence. "Carl, when was the last time you saw your mom?"

"This afternoon."

Analyn grew even more worried. "I haven't seen Ayce all day."

That was all it took.

Everyone jumped up to look for the two. Carol made her way to Daryl's new place of rest, telling Analyn that Ayce might be there. He was messing with the fire when she reached the campsite.

"We can't find Lori. And the others aren't back yet either."

He didn't look her way as he spoke. "That dumb bitch musta gone off lookin fer 'em."

"What?"

"Yea, she asked me to go. I told her I was done being an errand boy."

Carol looked appalled. "And you didn't say anything?"

She got no response. Carol turned to leave, getting fed up with him. Then she stopped and walked back a few steps.

"You know, Ayce went with her."

Daryl stiffened and looked up at the older woman. "What?"

Carol nodded. "She must have. She's missing too, along with her weapons." When he didn't answer yet again, she went to leave. "Just thought you should know."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As Shane went to leave, he was flagged down. He waited in the car for the person yanked open the passenger door.

"I'm comin'' with ya."

Shane shook his head and glared at the temperamental redneck. "Now, why in the hell would I let you do that? You let her leave."

Daryl glared back. "I'm not going fer Lori. I'm bringin' Ayce back."

After a moment's thought, Shane put the car in drive and took off down the road.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

They opted for walking the rest of the way. Neither one felt the need to talk. They were both kind of out of it. At one point, Ayce tripped on the road. Lori helped her up.

"Are you okay?"

Ayce shook her head, grimacing at her blurry vision. "I can keep going. I'll just need to see if Hershel has anything for a concussion."

They walked on for another 20 minutes before the sound of a car reached their ears. Out of the dark came a silver vehicle. It was so close, Ayce didn't know how she never heard it before. The headlights were bright, causing Ayce to shield her eyes. Two doors opened.

"Are you alright?"

It was Shane.

"I'm fine..."

"You're not fine. We saw the wreck."

"Really, I am. She has a concussion, I think, That's what she said anyway."

A split second later, there was another blinding light being shined in her eyes. She flinched away. "Ow. Hey..."

"Yeah, she hit her head pretty good. Grab her, put her in the back."

Someone put an arm around her waist and lead her to the car. She could see clearly now that she wasn't staring at the headlights. Lori and Shane sat up front, leaving her to discover who her savior was when they slid in next to her.

Oh, God hates me, doesn't he?

Though she was too tired to really care that it was Daryl. Her eyes closed and she breathed in the scent that he carried, which had come to be comforting to her. She then laid her head on his shoulder and drifted off.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Arriving back, Ayce took her time to get out of the car. She had to steady herself as she stumbled a little, but was fine otherwise.

"Ayce!"

The blonde in question closed her eyes as a body rammed into her own. "Why the hell didn't you tell me you were leaving!? I was worried sick!"

She felt Ana;yn's hands wrap around her in a hug, as if she were scared her older sister was going to disappear before her eyes. "Don't you ever do that again..."

"I'm sorry, Ana..."

A gruff voice interrupted their reunion. "Do ya mind goin' and grabbin' me a rag? I need ta get this blood off her..." Ana left her, taking with her the support she was using. She swayed on her feet. She wasn't given long before another voice broke through the silence and denied her rest.

"I don't know what the hell you thought you were doing." the voice growled, causing her to open her eyes. She was faced with a very pissed off Shane. Lori had been taken inside, so now it was his and her. And Daryl.

"Hey man, she's hurt give her some time ta-"

"Ah, shut up Dixon. You listen here. You shouldn't have gone with her. You shouldn't have let her go at all. She could have been killed. I don't need some blonde bitch comin' up in this group and getting the people I care about killed."

Ayce narrowed her eyes, not liking him being up in her face. "So, is that why you killed Otis? Because you were looking out for these people?" He went to answer, but just as he did to Daryl, she cut him off. "No, don't talk. I went with her to keep her safe. There was no stopping her, so it was better that way. What does it say about you if she didn't go to you for help in the first place? And she's alive, isn't she? Isn't that something... I was able to keep her alive without killing someone else."

Shane looked ready to explode. He pointed a single finger in her face. "You watch your back." And then he left.

Analyn came racing down the stairs as Shane went up them. She passed a damp cloth to Daryl. "I've got this. Ya go on and help the others. I'm gonna keep an eye on her tonight."

Her bow was taken from her, most likely by Analyn. Just as she closed her eyes again, she felt an arm brace against her back. "Wha-?" Another arm behind her knees and next thing she knew, she was being carried.

"Daryl, damn it! I'm not a damn princess! I can walk!"

However, they could both hear the lack of conviction in her words.

"Shut up..."

And she did.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Sitting by the little fire, Ayce got herself cleaned up. She wanted to do it herself, but Daryl insisted. She she sat there with her hands in her lap, feeling like a fool. She didn't know what to say to him. Ayce, who always knew some quirky thing to spit out and was always quick on her feet with words, was once again, speechless. But then again, what do you say in this situation?

Hey sorry for assaulting you, running off, almost getting killed, and then forcing you to come after me and take care of my wounds?

Yea, cause that sounded so wonderful in her head.

"You moved."

She wanted to take back her words so as she said them. You moved? Real brilliant...

He stopped wiping at the face for a moment, then chuckled, finishing his job. "Real observant, Blonde. Yer nickname suits ya."

A blush crossed her cheeks as she stared into the fire. It appalled her. Ayce did not blush! Ever!

She ignored his teasing. "Why?"

He sighed and tossed the blood soaked rag aside and took a seat next to her. "It just...felt right, I guess. Sophia's dead. None of their drama is my bullshit anymore. Never was to begin with..."

Ayce nodded her head. "I know what you mean... I'd do the same, but Analyn would want to stay close by Andrea. And I can't leave her alone, even if it is only moving away from the campsite."

She was surprised at herself and at how easy it was to talk to him. She expected awkward silences.

Might as well get it over with...

"Listen, about this morning..."

He waved a hand, cutting her off. "Save it. Ya need ta rest." He pointed to the tent behind them. "Go ta sleep, and in the mornin' ya can badger me with awkward talk about feelings and shit."

Ayce hesitated for a moment, then grinned. "Alright.. Where will you sleep?"

A sly grin crossed his face. "Oh, I'll be in there in a bit. Im gonna make sure the fire goes down okay..."

Another light pink blush dusted her cheeks, but she smiled anyway. "Okay..." A thought crossed her mind, but after a moments hesitation, she leaned across, brushing a light kiss on his cheek.

"Thanks for caring enough to come after me."

The she hurried inside. She burrowed into the blankets he had, instantly finding herself warm and comfortable. She wasn't able to evade sleep.

What seemed like hours was really only a few minutes. At some point in the light, she heard the tent open again, heard some shuffling around, then felt arms wrap around her and pull her close to a body. She didn't fight it. She simply grinned sleepily and buried her face in their chest, recognizing the scent instantly. She listened to their heartbeat, allowing it to lull her to sleep again.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Ayce woke up to an empty tent. It wasn't that she was disappointed that he wasn't there...Nah, she was totally disappointed. She had entertained the idea of waking up and finding the man beside her. Like normal people. Like the world was normal. Course, that was too much to ask.

As she thought this, the sound of the tent zipping alerted her of a person. A grin stretched over her face. "There you are..."

Daryl raised a brow. "Ya were lookin' fer me?"

His answer was a nod. "Sorry... Thought we had ta go look fer Rick, but he showed back up as we were 'bout ta leave." He dropped the crossbow he had been holding off in a corner before dropping to the ground next to her, supporting his weight on his elbow.

"So-"

Her sentence, whatever it was going to be, she wasn't sure, was cut off as he pressed his lips to hers. She blinked her wide eyes a couple of time before mentally shrugging and kissing him back. He pulled away and brushed a thumb over her cheek. She was the first to speak.

"Glad we got that settled. Who knew you were so great at conversation."

He smiled, laughing softly at her sarcasm. "Don't run off like that again. Ya had me worried there fer a moment."

She mirrored him, placing a hand against his cheek. "I don't plan to."


End file.
